Atheism

Many people assume atheism is a bleak, gloomy outlook that discards moral values and any sense of meaning, and that it is mainly defined by hostility toward faith. In this volume of Oxford's Very Short Introductions series, the British philosopher and writer Julian Baggini sets out to correct these misconceptions. He shows that a life without religious belief can be hopeful, purposeful and ethical. He also examines the record of states that officially embraced atheism in the 1900s.

Baggini does not rely on attacks on religion alone. He builds an intellectual case that rests as much on positive reasons to think atheism is true as on criticisms of religious belief. The result is a concise guide for readers who want to understand what atheists actually believe and why, and who are curious about how the position works in practice.