We contacted a more or less random sample of notable freethinkers–bloggers, podcasters, authors, and leaders in the freethought/atheist/skeptic communities–and asked them to send us their list of recommended works for the well-read freethinker. (Among those who responded are Sam Harris, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Phil Plait, George Hrab and Massimo Pigliucci.) From this long list of suggestions–over 250 works–we have compiled this Essential Freethought Library. The list takes into account the frequency with which a work was recommended, the frequency with which a particular writer was recommended, and the dates of publication. Free free to send us your suggestions.
Ricky: I’ve read # 2,3,4,5 & 7 . #2 Would be my number 1 pick.
2010/07/13 at 11:41 am
Why I am not a Christian converted me to Atheism. I’m glad it’s on the list. I’ve read several of the others and will check out those I haven’t.
2010/07/13 at 11:46 am
The second book I read and which, also, converted me to Atheism was a collection of assorted essays arguing in favour of non-belief and/or atheism. There were essays by Russell, Freud, Neitszche, Paine etc
The ideas and concepts covered are well reiterated in the first half of Dawkins book and other New Atheist books.
2010/07/13 at 12:49 pm
Of course this compiled list is more specifically a list for atheism. Of those listed I have read:
1. Why I Am Not a Christian by Bertrand Russell (1927)
3. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (2006)
4. The End of Faith by Sam Harris (2004)
5. The Bible (critically read)
7. god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens (2007)
8. Collected Writings by Thomas Paine (pub. from 1776 to 1806) – Paine (1736-1809) starting with “The Age of Reason.”
9. Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris
On my to-read list:
2. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan (1995)
6. The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll… and here they are: http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/
I have also read & suggest:
- The Qur’an (critically read; Yusif Ali and Rodwell translations)
- Why I am not a Muslim (Ibn Warraq)
- A Treatise of Human Nature and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (David Hume)
2010/07/13 at 1:37 pm
I can’t believe I had not heard about Ingersoll before seeing this list. Above I provided a link to his writings. If you need inspiration on why he should be read have a look at these reviews on Amazon http://goo.gl/QuyC and http://goo.gl/ktZT
2010/07/13 at 2:58 pm
More on Ingersoll. Here is a link Ingersoll quotes compiled by subject as published in:
INGERSOLL THE MAGNIFICENT
by JOSEPH LEWIS
1957
THE FREETHOUGHT PRESS ASSOCIATION
http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/lewis/lewing00.htm
2010/07/13 at 3:09 pm
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2010/09/12 at 6:40 pm
WARNING: This is a disclaimer that most people would consider me a religious person so my list should be taken on suspicion and possibly be totally disregarded:
1. Bible (especially read from a secular, Bible is history, or as someone from an oppressive religious background perspective)
2. Any fundamentalist religious writing – best way either to reinforce your commitment to the truth of atheism or be convinced that religion is pure crap (this will help keep things black and white)
-Also helpful to reinforce your atheistic perspective is to listen to the secular media on their emphasis on how many of the evils of the world are caused by religion and its fanatics (or some such suggestion)
-Oh, make sure to disregard any mention of people who claim to be religious who have done something good because they are probably frauds, charlatans, quacks etc. (As a religious person, I have to admit sadly, there is some truth to this and such people need to be exposed)
3. Read one or more of the excellent fundamentalist atheist writers today:
-Chris Hitchens – god is not great (great book for bashing people, almost as good as books by the small minority of crazy religious people who bash homosexuals, and abortion rights advocates!)
-Sam Harris – Letters to a Christian Nation
-Richard Dawkins – Any of his books (he does an excellent job of being as fundamentalist and evangelical as any fundamentalist religious leader I know in promoting atheism!! I understand that some religious groups wish they could convert him because they believe he would be as great as Saint Paul or Mohammed at spreading their particular religious virus.)
-Honorable mention – Daniel Dennett (not really a new atheist entirely but he is sympathetic to their crusade and promotes The Cause from time to time) – he is a philosophical and cheerleading sidekick to people like Dawkins, from the sidelines (as a philosopher, he will forever be a second rate voice in many people’s eyes to atheist scientists like Dawkins. Scientists are just more culturally authoritative today, as priests used to be when compared to knowledgeable lay leaders.)
These are all excellent books at reinforcing atheistic commitment, helping people new in their atheism to argue effectively for their ideas (apologetics) and not getting off track in their thinking (getting suckered in by emotional religious appeals). I also suspect these can be successfully used to get the atheistic faithful excited and roused to action to combat the terrible evils of religion.
4. Intelligent Design Writers – (Such as Michael Behe – Darwin’s Black Box)
-Read some of these writers – for although they bring up some excellent arguments they also exaggerate their own claims
-Some of their important ideas have very little or no support (they claim this is because there is a conspiracy to prevent funding of science that might support their ideas.)
-They attack important fundamentals of atheistic ideas and so need to be understood if they are to be properly refuted
-Also, DO NOT watch the video Expelled narrated by Ben Stein, this may only confuse you until you get more knowledgeable and grounded in your atheism
More serious books would include:
5. Origin of Species – Darwin
Since everyone is so “for” and “against” him (polarized) perhaps one should have an idea on what he actually said and wrote
-As a person who is now a freethinker, make sure to make up your own mind on Darwin
6. Atheism: Philosophical Justification – Michael Martin
-Serious philosophical attack on theism
-If you are really serious about properly constructed arguments against theism, and not just the atheistic fundamentalism described above, this is a good book
-However, remember I’m a person considered by some to be religious so perhaps you should skip this book or if you want to keep your atheism simple and straightforward
7. Defense of Theism Books – Richard Swinburne (many books including Existence of God, Coherence of Theism etc.)
-Serious arguments in favour of theism
-If you want to know your opponent, read some of their better authors
-This also helps to prepare you as an atheist not to get taken in by the idea that all religious people are unintelligent and so you can be better prepared to beat them up in an argument and to “always be able to give an answer for the hope that is within you”, whatever you have decided to make that hope, as a freethinking person and a person who creates your own meaning in life. Remember, it is unwise to underestimate your opponent, according to people who are experts in the art of warfare.
8. Miracle of Theism – Mackie
-Same type of comments as for Michael Martin
-Mackie and Swinburne respected each other greatly and carried on an extended debate until Mackie died a number of years ago
9. More serious Books questioning evolution
-Excellent examples would include books such as Not by Chance by Lee Spetner
-Same comment as for 7.
-Big Caution – make sure to tell yourself before reading this type of book that you believe in the fundamentals of evolution and that the majority of scientists can’t be wrong or at least in the major tenets of the fact of evolution (theory of evolution?). If you have any doubts after reading, immediately contact another atheist or read a good atheistic book or blog critical of the book etc. This will put your mind at ease and you can then be confident that if this is supposed to be a serious attack on one of your fundamental beliefs, you have nothing to fear from any other books/arguments in the future. Always Remember – Spetner is NOT a biologist (he is a biophysicist) and what could Spetner possibly know about such things (cover your ears if any religious people try to say the same thing about Darwin not being a biologist but writing important work on biology).
10. Why I’m not a Christian – Bertrand Russell
-Although Russell’s life was totally inconsistent and Russell himself was pretty much a terrible person (double crossed his friends, treated women poorly while advocating for them, changed his mind on important issues whenever it suited his freethinking lifestyle, benefitted from the freedoms of democracy but hated it etc.) he does definitely provide a excellent spirited defense and attack on why he is not a Christian (some of the ideas in this book can be extended to any religion).
-If you want to choose to do your own thing and live your life as you please as Russell did, his life and this book are excellent examples for you to follow. He is an exemplar to any budding freethinker and moral relativist. If you want to do your own thing no matter what, go ahead, it doesn’t matter anyway there is no god to stop you or will eventually punish you so enjoy life now. Life is short, enjoy it, (don’t be stupid and handle it with prayer) handle it with an affair!!
One last caution:
Whatever you do, if you are a new atheist you should probably NEVER read books by people like Antony Flew (formerly one of the world’s greatest philosophical atheists) who now supposedly believes in some type of theism. People like that are probably getting old and worrying about dying so they have compromised their integrity and reason and embraced non-reason and superstition. Anyway, you are probably young, idealistic about the world and have no time to be encumbered by all the “rules” and “dictates” that religion will make on your life. Whew! Aren’t you glad you are an atheist – Remember if you get down: “There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”
(I hope my atheist and freethinking friends will forgive me for poking some good natured fun at them in my comments above. The books listed are all good reads to broaden a person’s perspective. The issues discussed and debated are often important and affect people’s lives. I do not discount people’s ideas, experiences, pain and suffering caused by people who claim to be religious or non-religious. The ideals that encourage critical thinking, reasoning, upholding social justice, promoting humanism (in the broad sense) and other important values need to be upheld and defended in our western civilization.)