the legacy of doctor who

[adelaidesean]

I’m very excited to be holding a copy of 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists, a collection of essays edited by Russell Blackford and Udo Schuklenk featuring such luminaries as Michael Shermer, James Randi, A. C. Grayling, Joe Haldeman, Jack Dann, Susan Blackmore, Gregs Benford & Egan, and many, many more. Including me. Woohoo!

I posted a while back about my piece “Doctor Who and the Legacy of Rationalism” (Rassilon/Rationalism--geddit?) in which I dissect several old stories to demonstrate how watching them led me away from the idea of god, rather than towards it as several recent evangelists suggested it ought to go. Researching it gave me a great excuse to go back and read some of the novelisations mouldering away on my top shelf. They remain as fun as ever.

The essay and the book are out now. Paperback is listed at US$29.95, which is a bargain compared to the hardback (US$89.95) and money well spent at any price. It’s published by the very respectable Wiley-Blackwell. The gorgeous cover is below. Tell your godless heathen friends!

Comments

[sithmagician.livejournal.com]

The SMH has had a few interesting columns on it's website recently. The comments have been far more interesting than the articles in many cases.

I'm just glad to see that Atheism has managed to distance itself from accusations of devil worship and similar. That tired old line trotted out used to annoy the crap out of me.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Agreed. OTOH, seen this in The Age?
http://tinyurl.com/yj5e445

[sithmagician.livejournal.com]

Yes I did.

So much hypocrisy and sweeping generalisations.

I particlularly laughed at his complaining about all Athiests (Again, generalisation) insulting people of faith, before launching his own swathe of insults on Athiests.

[angriest.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, y'know, Richard Dawkins...

[sithmagician.livejournal.com]

Haven't read him, so can't really comment.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

He has a sharpish tongue where theists are concerned, and sometimes he does his cause as much harm as good.

That said, I'm all for positive discrimination and reckon the theists have a few millennia of abuse waiting before they can even start to feel hard done by.

[aidandoyle.livejournal.com]

Cool! Look forward to reading it.

[murasaki-1966.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read Bertrand Russell's essay "Why I am not a Christian" (http://users.drew.edu/~jlenz/whynot.html)? Reading this was a major experience for me. It confirmed my decision to turn away from Christianity. Shakespeare helped too.