Atheism
Atheism, particularly when rejecting any form of higher power, may undermine human aspiration toward superhuman capacity. It often fails to acknowledge the persistent relevance of religious ideas and communities in shaping social development, even as societies advance technologically. This form of atheism tends to overlook the deep complementarity between technological evolution and religious esthetics. Ultimately, embracing our potential to evolve into compassionate superhumanity suggests a kind of faith that's difficult to reconcile with traditional atheism.
This is a list of articles that Lincoln Cannon has written about atheism. A full archive of all articles that Lincoln has published since 2005 is also available. You may also search for articles and other content that's available on any of Lincoln's websites.
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Compassion in the New God Argument (Version 3.4)
On Saturday 3 August, I presented the New God Argument at the Sunstone conference in Salt Lake City. As part of the presentation, I simplified the formulation of the Compassion Argument slightly. And I spent more time than usual elaborating on how the first assumption of the Compassion Argument arises ... -
No Pity for Nietzsche
If Christianity is the religion of pity then Nietzsche was right about it. But too many persons, including both Nietzsche and Christians, interpret the relation between Christian religion and Nietzschean philosophy too uncharitably. A case in point, recently, is an interpretation suggested by Dan Peterson, a fellow Mormon. To frame ... -
Imaginary Sky Masters and Transhumanism
Sometimes atheist Transhumanists ask me, “What do imaginary sky masters have to do with Transhumanism?” Of course there’s an appeal to ridicule in the question, so it’s not exactly a shining model of rational engagement. But underlying the ridicule is a real question worth addressing. Here’s my answer. I want ... -
Should I pity PZ Myers?
Some laud the relative respectability of New Atheism and its adherents compared to the various explicitly religious fundamentalisms of our day. Recently, when I commented that we’ll all be embarrassed by fellow adherents to our ideologies at one time or another, one of my friends commented that he’s never embarrassed ... -
American Atheists
Last week, I encouraged the Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) to sponsor recording of a panel discussion between Mormons and atheists, sponsored by the American Atheists (AA) and held at the Salt Lake City Public Library as part of its annual convention. The MTA leadership team agreed, and the recording is ... -
11 Reasons Neil DeGrasse Tyson Didn't Debunk Religion
An article at Atlanta Blackstar presents “11 Neil DeGrasse Tyson Quotes That Debunk ‘Religious Science’”, or at least purports to do so. Here are my thoughts on the quotes, including the bonus quote thrown in at the beginning of the article. “Every account of a higher power that I’ve seen ... -
Evolving Gods and Richard Dawkins
As mentioned before, I’ve repeatedly found inspiration in Richard Dawkins, despite an important difference between us. He’s a devout atheist. And I’m a devout theist. He argues cogently that complex life must have simpler antecedents. And he vigorously attacks contrary theist positions. I agree with him. Interestingly, however, to illustrate ... -
Sam Harris Asks, Should We Be Mormons in the Matrix?
In a recent post to his blog, Sam Harris asks, “Should we be Mormons in the Matrix?” Sam is (in)famous for his atheism and anti-religiosity. He has authored bestselling books The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation, and has commented in the past that “Mormonism is objectively ... -
Inspired by Richard Dawkins and The God Delusion
In 2007, I read Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion. At the time, the New Atheists appeared newer than they now appear (although they were perhaps not so new even at that time). And they were frequently referenced in articles and discussions that crossed my path. Prior to reading Dawkins’ book, ... -
Dan Dennett and Thoughts for an Atheist Friend
Dan Dennett is among my favorite atheists. I imagine some may not think that much of a compliment, coming from a theist. But, unlike many (perhaps most) theists, I actually don’t assume atheists to be evil by default, and even have the fortune of counting some atheists among my friends. ... -
Atheists All: Brent, Karl, Dale, and I
Brent Allsop, a director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, describes himself as a Mormon atheist. You may be wondering (along with Aubrey de Grey, I’ve been told) whether that’s some kind of joke. Well, no. It’s not a joke. Brent is entirely serious about both his Mormonism and his atheism. ... -
The Problem with Atheism
Sam Harris, a well-known atheist (well, at least until now), recently spoke at an Atheist Alliance conference in Washington DC on “The Problem with Atheism.” In summary, he argued that identifying one’s self as “atheist” is counter-productive because it facilitates others’ attempts at marginalization. Instead, he suggests, atheists should drop ...