دانلود کتاب Atheism and alienation : a study of the philosophical sources of contemporary atheism

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Preface THE affirmation of God is undoubtedly one of the most noteworthy of human achievements. In its various historical expressions it speaks profoundly of man's appraisal of his own condition--of his perfection and weakness, of his ideals and failures, of his hopes and fears. It symbolises in a most striking fashion his endeavour to make sense both of his aspirations and of his limitations. However, scarcely less remarkable an achievement is man's repudiation of this affirmation of God. Atheism in its various forms, no less than theism, is a most significant expression of man's representation of himself to himself. Indeed, inasmuch as it proposes itself as a post-theistic phenomenon, it professes to convey a more reflective and authentic image of man than that portrayed in any version of theism. Tills phenomenon of atheism can be considered from a variety of viewpoints, each characterised by its own principles and aims. Thus a theologian, a psychologist, a sociologist and a political economist would each advance different, though not necessarily incompatible, expositions of the significance of atheism. It is not the purpose of this study to present a survey of such particular approaches. It aims rather to provide a more basic account of the general significance of contemporary atheism through an elucidation of its philosophical evolution. In effect, it seeks to trace the philosophical milestones in the development of contemporary atheism from its origins in modern thought to the present day. The universally acknowledged crucial significance of the Cartesian cogito in the formation of modern self-understanding is a guiding motif of the study. It seeks to show how the viewpoint of the cogito, reinforced by the impact of modern science, has inspired the philosophical itinerary in the course of which the traditional conviction that the alienated man is the man who does not believe in God has given way to the view that belief in God is a profound source of human alienation. This theme is illustrated in its development in the philosophies of Kant, Hegel, Feuer bach and Marx, and in its contemporary expression in positivistic Naturalism and Existentialism. What emerges in the course of this study is the elaboration of a humanism of liberty which calls in question the possibility of the coexistence of finite and infinite being-or, more concretely, the coexistence of man and God. How can the ever more impressive claims of human subjectivity to be an irreducible source of a world of meaning and value be rendered compatible with the claims involved in the theistic conception of God as absolute creator of all finite being? The story of the development of contemporary atheism is unfolded as a progressive repudiation not only of a theistic absolute but also of every secular substitute such as the absolute spirit of Hegel, the social absolute of Feuerbach and Marx, or the scientific absolutism of Positivism. Inevitably a work of this scope must be selective in its treatment of themes and sources. Thus, even within its limited horizon of modern and contemporary European thought, it does not consider explicitly many philosophers who have elaborated important reflections on the problem of God. It seeks simply to mediate insight, through certain key philosophical illustrations, into the basic themes which have animated the development of contemporary atheism. In portraying this development, it strives for simplicity of expression without lapsing into superficiality of presentation. Arising out of the account of this development, certain positive suggestions concerning the problem of God today are advanced in the final chapter. This book originated from a series of lectures to undergraduate students of philosophy. To facilitate such readers' further investigation of the topics discussed, references are, where possible, to standard English language versions of works cited. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Faculty of Philosophy of University College, Dublin, whose ideas and interest have been of value to me in writing this book, especially Professor J. Horgan, Dr D. Connell, Dr S. Samay, Dr P. Pettit and Mr D. Turner. I wish also to acknowledge my debt to the editors of Philosophical Studies, Atlantis, and Studies, in which some of the material of chapters 3-5 first appeared. Finally, I would like to thank my wife Frances for providing the domestic ambiance and practical encouragement which did so much to make the whole enterprise possible. January, 1971. PATRICK MASTERSON. eureka