The God Delusion [ペーパーバック]

『The God Delusion』は2006年に刊行されてセンセーションを巻き起こした。発売後ほんの数週間で最も熱い論議を呼ぶ話題の書に。あらゆるタイプの宗教に対してパンチの効いた熱っぽい反駁をおこなったことでドーキンス自身は聖人、あるいは罪人の烙印を押された。彼の主張はまさに時流に乗っている。ヨーロッパは一段と世俗的になりつつあり、中東であれ中央アメリカであれ、宗教的なファンダメンタリズムの勃興が劇的にそして険悪に世界中の意見を分断している。アメリカでも他の国でも、“インテリジェント・デザイン（知的設計論。生物の発生や進化を「知的存在」の関与で説明）”とダーウィン説との盛んな論争が、科学の学習を緩やかながら深刻に妨害し規制しつつある。多くの国で、中世からの宗教定義が女性やゲイの権利といった基本的人権への侵害にいまだに手を貸している。すべては存在を証明するものが何もない神への信念に端を発しているのだ。ドーキンスはあらゆる方法で神を攻撃する。宗教の最大の主張を骨抜きにして、絶対的な存在すなわち神が絶対に実在しないと論証する。宗教がいかに戦争を煽り、偏狭な考え方を冗長し、子供を虐待しているか示す。『The God Delusion』は切れ味鋭い主張が満載、この最も感情的で重要なテーマに興味のある読者のほうも、熱く自説を語りたくなることだろう。 --このテキストは、絶版本またはこのタイトルには設定されていない版型に関連付けられています。

The antireligion wars started by Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris will heat up even more with this salvo from celebrated Oxford biologist Dawkins. For a scientist who criticizes religion for its intolerance, Dawkins has written a surprisingly intolerant book, full of scorn for religion and those who believe. But Dawkins, who gave us the selfish gene, anticipates this criticism. He says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religionsfundamentalist Christianity and Islam come in for the most opprobriumthat close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation. While Dawkins can be witty, even confirmed atheists who agree with his advocacy of science and vigorous rationalism may have trouble stomaching some of the rhetoric: the biblical Yahweh is "psychotic," Aquinas's proofs of God's existence are "fatuous" and religion generally is "nonsense." The most effective chapters are those in which Dawkins calms down, for instance, drawing on evolution to disprove the ideas behind intelligent design. In other chapters, he attempts to construct a scientific scaffolding for atheism, such as using evolution again to rebut the notion that without God there can be no morality. He insists that religion is a divisive and oppressive force, but he is less convincing in arguing that the world would be better and more peaceful without it. (Oct. 18)
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"The God Delusion" caused a sensation when it was published in 2006. Within weeks it became the most hotly debated topic, with Dawkins himself branded as either saint or sinner for presenting his hard-hitting, impassioned rebuttal of religion of all types. His argument could hardly be more topical. While Europe is becoming increasingly secularized, the rise of religious fundamentalism, whether in the Middle East or Middle America, is dramatically and dangerously dividing opinion around the world. In America, and elsewhere, a vigorous dispute between 'intelligent design' and Darwinism is seriously undermining and restricting the teaching of science. In many countries religious dogma from medieval times still serves to abuse basic human rights such as women's and gay rights. And all from a belief in a God whose existence lacks evidence of any kind. Dawkins attacks God in all his forms. He eviscerates the major arguments for religion and demonstrates the supreme improbability of a supreme being. He shows how religion fuels war, foments bigotry and abuses children. "The God Delusion" is a brilliantly argued, fascinating polemic that will be required reading for anyone interested in this most emotional and important subject. --このテキストは、絶版本またはこのタイトルには設定されていない版型に関連付けられています。