An enthusiastic recommendation for God: The Failed Hypothesis

[Imperialism Inc.]

I posted about this book in another thread but decided it deserved a more prominent spot, a post of its own. Obviously atheists here will be most interested but I recommend it to all.

God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist

Though I haven't finished it yet, I've read most of it, and so far it is easy to read and wonderful. Mr. Stenger addresses relevant arguments for god's existence head on. For example, he demolishes the arguments from design or arguments from the anthropic principle.

He doesn't claim to be able to prove the non-existence of any and all conceivable gods but instead focuses in on the type of god described in the Abraham religions. And he makes his arguments with modern physics and science in general.

While I'm recommending I want to add a recommend for Non-Existence of God which comes at the problem from a philosophical direction. I have to admit to only skimming this book so far but I know from that and from hearing the author , Nicholas Everitt, on The Infidel Guy podcast that he has a lot of interesting things to say on the subject. I think the same podcast show has an interview with Mr. Stenger as well and also one on the Point of Inquiry podcast. I haven't listened to either of those Stenger interviews though.

At the moment I am leaving for the weekend and won't be around to discuss it so, if you think it sounds interesting, please give it a kick so others can see this post.

[GeorgeGist]

1. Nonsense...

disproving religion proves nothing about God's existence.

[razors edge]

2. Exactly,

Because when Zercton from Siterian 6-B shows up, HE will be God. Then all will know the truth and rue the day they dismissed his greatness.

[xchrom]

3. you know zercton is short don't you? -- i mean really short.

i met him at a wild cocktail party in the castro once.

he was bitching that someone had stolen his man bag.

[razors edge]

6. He who stole

the man bag will doubly rue.

[xchrom]

7. ya know -- that's just what he said.

[Imperialism Inc.]

4. You obviously have some reading comprehension problems.

Where did I say it disproved religion? He is addressing the question of the existence of God as defined by the Bible and other holy texts. You know, the God that the vast majority of people that believe in a God believe in. The disclaimer statement is only that there are an infinite number of ways to conceive of God and he can't possibly address all of them. He only addresses 'a personal God that created the universe' (and the 'created the universe' type by itself as well) type God. The one the vast majority of believers believe in.

But, I'm glad to see you can make dismissive statements about something you have never even read a page from. Maybe you should stay away from it since it is apparently well above your reading level.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Almost by definition, there is a supreme being ... as far as we know, we're it.

So everybody better shape up.

[NAO]

8. I finished this book last week; very novel approach to non-theism

Many Christian apologists will accuse their opponents of "metaphysical naturalism" - that is, they say that their opponents rule out the supernatural by definition, a priori, and refuse to consider the evidence for miracles, god(s) etc.

Stenger takes this head on, and makes a "God Hypothesis". As will all hypothesis, this one makes predictions. If God were there, what would things look like? What predictions would we make? How would our observations be fit into the theory?

He then examines many things that one might expect to see in the world that would verify the God Hypothesis. None of them are bourne out. By the standard methodology of science, this is called "verifying the null hypothesis" or, alternatively, falsifying the hypothesis that is being examined.

It is a short and readable book. I was quite impressed as I had never seen the existence of god attracted by the scientific method, rather than by philosophical arguments.

Highly recommended.

[Ian David]

9. See also... God: The Failed Hypothesis

God: The Failed Hypothesis
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=247&topic_id=8751&mesg_id=8751

And for god's sake, don't buy from Amazon.com. Amazon.com is evil.

Buy from Powells.com, Overstock.com, or Barnes & Noble.

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=38MUSELAQE&isbn=1-59102-481-1&itm=1

[varkam]

10. FMI - Why is amazon evil? eom