Update on an Actual Course on Atheism

I have been sidetracked a few times but I did finally finish the first of the two required texts, Philosophers Without Gods. Overall, it is an excellent anthology. There were a few pieces I found to be a bit weak. I did not understand why they were included given that they lacked any perceivable scholarly merit. A few were comprised almost entirely of emotional appeals. One, which I will not name, was especially irritating. The entire work relied not only on the author's preferred definition of a commonly used term but the whole piece was built around his own modifications to that term. Simply reverting to the standard definition completely negated all his "reasons" and "arguments." If every aspect of your writing can be reduced to special pleading and logical fallacies there is definitely something wrong with your thought process.

I also answered the first set of questions and developed the required student created questions. I have not finished answering the second set but will shortly. I may consider converting all the questions and answers over to a Google Doc for the sake of posting. I am planning to start the next part of the course work within the next few weeks. This part should not take me nearly as long since it is a matter of re-reading and I am going to refrain from submitting anymore inter-library loans till after completing Boghossian's syllabus. Some of what sidetracked me was reading through various books I had previously requested.

Note: This post refers to a previous one, "A Course on Atheism?" (November 24, 2012).

A Course on Atheism?

I have to admit I find the notion of an entire class on Atheism fascinating and potentially a little futile. As I have pointed out on a few occasions, Atheism is not a true "ism" since it does not have an innate set of beliefs or even a structure that a set of beliefs could easily be attached to. By definition it is a lack of a religious (especially one focused on or includes a God or gods) based belief system. That is not to say atheists don't have beliefs or follow one or more overlapping belief systems. Atheism just does not tell you what those beliefs are.

After hearing an interview of Peter Boghossian on Freedom From Religion's Free Thought Radio I have decided that it is time to revisit my assumptions on this topic. During the interview Boghossian mentioned a course he teaches for Portland State University and that the syllabus can be found on Skeptic magazines website. I have only briefly skimmed through it at this point but I am going to follow it through. I already own one of the required texts (I've ordered the second) and have read quite a bit of the recommended material. I will read/reread them in the order he has laid out. The questions laced throughout seem to be pretty good.

I am not sure how much of the experience I'll bother to post but I will probably write a few updates along the way. It should be interesting in any case.