The Path of Reason A Philosophy of Nonbelief

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  • Auteur: Smith, Bruce A.
    Résumé:

    In today's culture wars and the everyday struggle of individuals to make sense of the world around them, the question of how we can understand the world becomes a vital one. In order to make the best decisions in life, we need the best information. But how can we go about obtaining that? The Path of Reason begins with an examination of the two means that we use to understand the world: faith and reason. The author compares them and shows why they are often mutually exclusive. Ultimately, faith is found wanting, while reason proves to be surprisingly valuable. With the validity and importance of reason established, the author then uses it to examine various ideologies. Reason is applied to the questions of God, the soul and the meaning of life, resulting in skeptical and atheistic conclusions. Following this is a presentation of critical thinking principles. The point is made that without the avoidance of logical fallacies, one can never truly come to a clear understanding of the world. With these tools in hand, the author leads the reader through an examination of various supernatural and New Age ideas. This is followed by a critical look at the doctrines, and certain specifics, of Christianity. All of these discussions reveal the power of reason to dissect confusing and misleading ideas and to uncover important, although sometimes difficult, truths. The book concludes with a look at what life means for nonbelievers. The worldview of the atheist and the skeptic is often misunderstood and misrepresented. By opening and reexamining the ideas of faith and reason, the author demonstrates the value of the nonbeliever's perspective. Understanding the world is an entirely different problem from dealing with the world, and this section recommends attitudes that can be beneficial in a world where the veil has been lifted by the power of reason. In the end, it is found that false hopes are replaced by a newfound sense of realistic possibilities and a greater understanding of the human condition.

    Language(s): English

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Abstract

In today's culture wars and the everyday struggle of individuals to make sense of the world around them, the question of how we can understand the world becomes a vital one. In order to make the best decisions in life, we need the best information. But how can we go about obtaining that? The Path of Reason begins with an examination of the two means that we use to understand the world: faith and reason. The author compares them and shows why they are often mutually exclusive. Ultimately, faith is found wanting, while reason proves to be surprisingly valuable. With the validity and importance of reason established, the author then uses it to examine various ideologies. Reason is applied to the questions of God, the soul and the meaning of life, resulting in skeptical and atheistic conclusions. Following this is a presentation of critical thinking principles. The point is made that without the avoidance of logical fallacies, one can never truly come to a clear understanding of the world. With these tools in hand, the author leads the reader through an examination of various supernatural and New Age ideas. This is followed by a critical look at the doctrines, and certain specifics, of Christianity. All of these discussions reveal the power of reason to dissect confusing and misleading ideas and to uncover important, although sometimes difficult, truths. The book concludes with a look at what life means for nonbelievers. The worldview of the atheist and the skeptic is often misunderstood and misrepresented. By opening and reexamining the ideas of faith and reason, the author demonstrates the value of the nonbeliever's perspective. Understanding the world is an entirely different problem from dealing with the world, and this section recommends attitudes that can be beneficial in a world where the veil has been lifted by the power of reason. In the end, it is found that false hopes are replaced by a newfound sense of realistic possibilities and a greater understanding of the human condition.

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