2008 Woodie Awards
Professor finds fault with 'new' atheism
Dylan Kingsley
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Campus Life
How not to be an atheist was the subject of a lecture by PSU philosophy professor Don Viney on Thursday, April 3, in Grubbs Hall.
The lecture was the last in the College of Arts and Science lecture series. Viney's intent was to provide a "neoclassical response" to modern atheism.
Criticizing new atheists such as Daniel Dennett, the author of the book "Breaking the Spell," Viney said, "Believe and let believe ... there's something wrong with that according to new atheists."
Viney went on to explain the six pillars of the new atheism and followed the explanations with sarcastic responses. The first pillar of new atheism states that there is no God whose existence is more worthy of consideration than the God of supernaturalism. Viney's response to this was simply, "Don't be obtuse; of course there is."
The second pillar of the new atheism says that none of the theist's reasons for believing in God are rationally convincing. In other words, God is best considered as a scientific hypothesis.
"Says who?" Viney asked. "There are multiple lines of reasoning involved."
In response to the remaining three pillars, Viney urged atheists in the audience to stop treating God as a scientific hypothesis and concluded that the intent of these pillars was only to prove the nonexistence of a supernatural creator of the universe.
Viney's last point in his lecture was that there is good and bad atheism, as well as good and bad theism. Violent jihads and crusaders and witch-hunts are examples given by Viney as bad theism. But good religion has provided hospitals, educational institutions, social justice movements, music and art.
"Unitarian Christianity separated mental institutions from prisons," Viney said.
The different spectrums of atheism included scientism, bad reason, disenchantment, naked power as sole value and oppression of religion as the bad, and Buddhism, Taoism, and process-related nontheism as the good.
The lecture was the last in the College of Arts and Science lecture series. Viney's intent was to provide a "neoclassical response" to modern atheism.
Criticizing new atheists such as Daniel Dennett, the author of the book "Breaking the Spell," Viney said, "Believe and let believe ... there's something wrong with that according to new atheists."
Viney went on to explain the six pillars of the new atheism and followed the explanations with sarcastic responses. The first pillar of new atheism states that there is no God whose existence is more worthy of consideration than the God of supernaturalism. Viney's response to this was simply, "Don't be obtuse; of course there is."
The second pillar of the new atheism says that none of the theist's reasons for believing in God are rationally convincing. In other words, God is best considered as a scientific hypothesis.
"Says who?" Viney asked. "There are multiple lines of reasoning involved."
In response to the remaining three pillars, Viney urged atheists in the audience to stop treating God as a scientific hypothesis and concluded that the intent of these pillars was only to prove the nonexistence of a supernatural creator of the universe.
Viney's last point in his lecture was that there is good and bad atheism, as well as good and bad theism. Violent jihads and crusaders and witch-hunts are examples given by Viney as bad theism. But good religion has provided hospitals, educational institutions, social justice movements, music and art.
"Unitarian Christianity separated mental institutions from prisons," Viney said.
The different spectrums of atheism included scientism, bad reason, disenchantment, naked power as sole value and oppression of religion as the bad, and Buddhism, Taoism, and process-related nontheism as the good.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Brian Westley
posted 4/10/08 @ 7:21 PM CST
More straw men than a Wizard of Oz convention on Guy Fawkes Night.
Bruce in Orlando
posted 4/11/08 @ 9:17 AM CST
He does bring up 2 powerful arguments for theism.
- Of course there is.
- Says who?
He forgot the other water tight nuggets.
- I'm right, your wrong. (Continued…)
just Jack
posted 4/11/08 @ 8:15 PM CST
I trust god if not most people can add up better than you.
If you are disabled and have a hand missing I apologise.
Pierre JC
posted 4/12/08 @ 5:11 PM CST
Viney refers to the atheist disbelief in all deities as the disbelief in the "God of supernaturalism".
So, Viney, your God is NOT supernatural? Your God obeys physical laws, and has no magical powers?
Then how does your God summon the energy to create the entire universe, and live forever?
What a crock!
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