--- product_id: 235255 title: "The God Delusion: A Study of Religious Belief and Skepticism" price: "107.29 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/235255-the-god-delusion-a-study-of-religious-belief-and-skepticism store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # Global bestseller 400+ pages Critical thinking The God Delusion: A Study of Religious Belief and Skepticism **Price:** 107.29 DT **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Unravel the Mysteries of Belief! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The God Delusion: A Study of Religious Belief and Skepticism - **How much does it cost?** 107.29 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/235255-the-god-delusion-a-study-of-religious-belief-and-skepticism) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Empower Your Mind:** Equip yourself with knowledge that inspires change. - β€’ **Join a Global Conversation:** Be part of a movement that transcends borders. - β€’ **Cultivate Critical Thinking:** Sharpen your analytical skills for a better tomorrow. - β€’ **Challenge Conventional Wisdom:** Dare to question the status quo. - β€’ **Engage with Thought-Provoking Ideas:** Stimulate your intellect and spark discussions. ## Overview The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins is a provocative exploration of religion and its impact on society, challenging readers to rethink their beliefs and embrace a more rational worldview. With over 400 pages of compelling arguments and insights, this global bestseller has sparked conversations and debates worldwide. ## Description A preeminent scientist -- and the world's most prominent atheist -- asserts the irrationality of belief in God and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With rigor and wit, Dawkins examines God in all his forms, from the sex-obsessed tyrant of the Old Testament to the more benign (but still illogical) Celestial Watchmaker favored by some Enlightenment thinkers. 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, buttressing his points with historical and contemporary evidence. The God Delusion makes a compelling case that belief in God is not just wrong but potentially deadly. It also offers exhilarating insight into the advantages of atheism to the individual and society, not the least of which is a clearer, truer appreciation of the universe's wonders than any faith could ever muster. Review: A treasure of stimulating ideas, with some gaps... - It's doesn't matter if you are are a callous atheist, a mild believer, or a religious fundamentalist, you should read this book anyway. It will probably leave you with your own faith and beliefs, but enriched with many stimulating ideas. It will also make a perfect source of discussion subjects to liven up those boring dinner with your friends. The first part of the book is about refuting the so called "proofs" of God existence and pointing out the fact that a "God Hypothesis" is far for being useful to explain the universe , since it creates the biggest problems of explaining God. Not so interesting and new if you have done already a little thinking by yourself but still useful. One really good idea I found in the first part of the book was the the criticism of the "automatic respect for religion", that is the habit of according respect and tolerance to the weirdest behaviours if only they are a consequence of religious faith. The discussion that I found more interesting are about the morality of human beings and its possible origins and laws, and on the origin the seeminly universal religious sense in our race. The idea of religion as by-product of some other evolutionary useful mechanism like blind obedience to parents, or the ability to understand things through their real or imaginary "purpose" and "intentions" is really fascinating. So is the idea of religion as an extention of the psycological process that causes children to create imaginary friends. The chapter on the "evils" of religion and how , even in its "moderate" forms can harm the happiness of people is also definitely worth some pondering. Where this book falls a little short is in his analysis of the Bible and the New Testament. First, the real "sourcebook" for Christianity is the New Testament, it is not calle New for nothing... but this is not Dawkins's fault. In my deep ignorance about history I have alway wondered why Christianity in anglosaxon countries is so centered around the Bible instead of the New Testament, which, if believed is orders of magnitude more important than the Bible. And it seems to have deep consequences on the national characters, if one just looks at the cleverly organized by kinda business cold anglo-saxons compared with the warmth of latin people. Or maybe it's not a consequence but a cause... who knows? The most glaring gap though is a total failure in appreciating the geniality , the poetry and the depth of Jesus life and teachings. Considering the idea of God suffering and dying for the human race as a sadomasochist act is a superficial and silly idea. Even as a little child I noted that Christianity was the only religion I knew of where the founder had not used his cult to life a life of happiness power and domination but suffered and died miserably. That immediately rules out the scenario in which some smart guy uses religious sense in other people to reach wealth and power. It's also an highly poetic and genially crazy idea , the idea of a God suffering and dying like the human race has to suffer and die. I don't know about you, but I would not be able to feel much sympathy for a God that sits comfortably in his Paradise while man has to cope with the harshness of life down here... A subject that needs way more analysis and thinking is morality. It's often repeated that if there is no God to decide what's good and what's evil , than morality is necessarily bound to be subjective and arbitrary. I disagree with this. It would be like saying that without parental guide a kid would not have any idea of what is good and what is bad. What you see instead is a lot of kids who can do much better than their parents, even when they happen to have terrible parents. The objectivity of morality is rooted not in someone arbitrary decision, be him a parent or a god, but in understanding the objective consequences of an action. It would be quite depressing even for a religious person to believe that, for example, murder is evil not because of its evil consequences but because God doesn't like it. And that's also why religious people everywhere should have very clear that while reason cannot prove or disprove religion, any religious claim or behaviour must stand the test of reason. I would also object to Dawkins optimistic and naive idea of the moral standards improving with time. That's a very narrow point of view that surprises me in an intelligent man like Dawkins..yes, standards of life has improved , sure, in his little corner of the World.. most of Europe and US, but this is just a tiny bit of ur planet. Richard you should have the courage of giving a hard look at Africa, Asia and south America and realize that the only things that has improved is the economy of a minority of Earth nations, and this partly because of the advancement of science and technology but mostly because of the exploiting of the rest of the planet, like the Iraq war can easily remind us. The only thing that can provoke an improvement in morality is culture and knowledge. In that sense I see the metaphor of God as "The Verb" particularly striking. Intelligence, knowledge and culture can help us see through the consequences of our actions and give an objective , "scientific" foundation to make this planet a decent place to live in. Look around, and you will easily see that the persons responsible of selfish, brutal or irresponsible actions are very often persons who have little education and cultural background. And with culture I don't mean just the one you can get from books and university, but even the family traditions, as in this respect wisdom is more important than sheer knowledge. And finally about the inspiration that the authors tries to give in the final chapters, which should fill the gap left by the refutation of God.. well I have to say that Dawkins is am exceedingly brilliant science writer, extremely stimulating and fascinating as far as science is concerned, but as for inspiration and passion, well he's just a tiny bit to "technical" for that. And here comes my last critic to this nonetheless fascinating book. Religion can be dangerous, but so can be any kind of fixation, even an adoration for science that makes you look at everything through the same old glasses of science and analyze your life and reality just in those terms. If your life is centered only around one spot, be it religion, literature, science, sportsmanship or whatever else you might like, your life and your view of the cosmos is necessarily going to be narrow , rigid and ultimately boring. ps> and please, Richard, stop it with your meme theory, it's not a scientific theory, it's not needed to explain anything, it's just an analogy. Review: Influential Book on an Important Topic - The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion" is the book that raised consciousness about the "God" question. It takes a critical look at the belief of God and espouses a superior way of viewing the world. This book has inspired countless other books of this ilk and in many respects provided the inspiration for many people to "come out". The book holds up quite well after a third reading, biologist, best-selling author and icon of the atheist movement, Richard Dawkins takes the reader on a journey into the most fascinating topic of them all, religion. This captivating 464-page book is composed of the following ten chapters: 1. A Deeply Religious Non-Believer, 2. The God Hypothesis, 3. Arguments for God's Existence, 4. Why There Are Almost Certainly No God, 5. The Roots of Religion, 6. The Roots of Morality: Why are we Good?, 7. The `Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist, 8. What's Wrong with Religion? Why be so Hostile? 9. Childhood, Abuse and the Escape from Religion, and 10. A Much Needed Gap? Positives: 1. An influential book that inspired an intellectual movement. 2. The most interesting topic, religion, in the hands of a great, passionate thinker. 3. A thought-provoking book written with panache. 4. A book that focuses on raising consciousness on the "God" question, mission accomplished. 5. This book is a quote fest, "When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." 6. A look at the many views of `God', "Of course, like any other word, the word `God' can be given any meaning we like. If you want to say that `God' is energy,' then you can find God in a lump of coal." 7. The author does a wonderful job of defining important terms. 8. Debunking misconceptions. Take Einstein for instance, "I am a deeply religious nonbeliever." 9. The author does a wonderful job of supporting his arguments with case studies and sound logic. 10. The religious views of the Founding Fathers in perspective. Interesting stuff! 11. The spectrum of religious belief. 12. A look at prayer, "to pray: to ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessed unworthy." The prayer case study. 13. A couple of chapters are dedicated to the most popular arguments for God's existence. 14. Natural selection as a conscious raiser. "Natural selection not only explains the whole of life; it also raises our consciousness to the power of science to explain how organized complexity can emerge from simple beginnings without any deliberate guidance." 15. Ideas of where religion came from. Many interesting ideas on why people are vulnerable to the charms of religion. Dawkins' specific hypothesis relates to the indoctrination of children. A partial list of religious memes. 16. The roots of morality. The four good Darwinian reasons for individuals to be moral. 17. A great chapter on why people who claim to derive their morals from scripture do not really do so in practice. Biblical examples that illustrate that, "we don't get our morals from scripture." Dawkins takes off his gloves. 18. Debunking the notion that atheism is behind bad behaviour. "What matters is not whether Hitler and Stalin were atheists but whether atheism systematically influences people to do bad things. There is not the smallest evidence that it does." 19. The effects of religion, "one of the truly bad effects of religion is that it teaches us that it is a virtue to be satisfied with not understanding." "As a scientist, I am hostile to fundamentalist religion because it actively debauches the scientific enterprise. It teaches us not to change our minds, and not to want to know exciting things that are available to be known. It subverts science and saps the intellect." 20. The dangers of indoctrination of children into religion. "Children should be taught not so much what to think as how to think." 21. I enjoyed reading the list of Bible-inspired phrases. 22. Debunks the notion of the necessity for a god. "Religion's power to console doesn't make it true". 23. An excellent appendix that provides resources for people trying to escape from religion. 24. Books cited. Negatives: 1. No links for Kindle. 2. Dawkins is unable to answer some questions in which I believe there are plausible answers. To the question of why religion has flourished in America, I would contend that the separation of Church and State has in combination with financial benefits (tax-free) and the open-market system has contributed greatly. In summary, I read this book years ago when it first came out and I must say it inspired me. I always felt that for the truth to have any value it would have to correspond to reality but never really had the courage to espouse my views openly. Thanks to people like the late Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris I was able to not only obtain the courage but the clarity of thought to be comfortable enough to be comfortable in my own skin. Is this book the best book out there on this topic? No. Is it the most theologically strident book? Hardly. Is it the most comprehensive book on the topic? Once again, no, but it may be the most important book on the topic because it caused an intellectual movement that is here to stay. Highly recommended! Further suggestions: " Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity " and " The End of Christianity " by John Loftus, " Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism " and "Why I'm Not a Christian" by Richard Carrier, " Natural Atheism " and " Atheism Advanced: Further Thoughts of a Freethinker " by Dr. David Eller, " Man Made God: A Collection of Essays " by Barbara G. Walker, " The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values " by Sam Harris, "The World Is Not as We Think It Is" by Dennis Littrell, " Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How It Drives Civilization " by Stephen Cave, , " God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist " by Victor J. Stenger, " Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists " by Dan Barker, "Christian No More: On Leaving Christianity, Debunking Christianity, And Embracing Atheism And Freethinking" by Jeffrey Mark, and "The Invention of God" by Bill Lauritzen. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #14,488 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3 in Atheism (Books) #4 in Religion & Philosophy (Books) #34 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 14,080 Reviews | ## Images ![The God Delusion: A Study of Religious Belief and Skepticism - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61WThQjTzPL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A treasure of stimulating ideas, with some gaps... *by R***O on June 16, 2007* It's doesn't matter if you are are a callous atheist, a mild believer, or a religious fundamentalist, you should read this book anyway. It will probably leave you with your own faith and beliefs, but enriched with many stimulating ideas. It will also make a perfect source of discussion subjects to liven up those boring dinner with your friends. The first part of the book is about refuting the so called "proofs" of God existence and pointing out the fact that a "God Hypothesis" is far for being useful to explain the universe , since it creates the biggest problems of explaining God. Not so interesting and new if you have done already a little thinking by yourself but still useful. One really good idea I found in the first part of the book was the the criticism of the "automatic respect for religion", that is the habit of according respect and tolerance to the weirdest behaviours if only they are a consequence of religious faith. The discussion that I found more interesting are about the morality of human beings and its possible origins and laws, and on the origin the seeminly universal religious sense in our race. The idea of religion as by-product of some other evolutionary useful mechanism like blind obedience to parents, or the ability to understand things through their real or imaginary "purpose" and "intentions" is really fascinating. So is the idea of religion as an extention of the psycological process that causes children to create imaginary friends. The chapter on the "evils" of religion and how , even in its "moderate" forms can harm the happiness of people is also definitely worth some pondering. Where this book falls a little short is in his analysis of the Bible and the New Testament. First, the real "sourcebook" for Christianity is the New Testament, it is not calle New for nothing... but this is not Dawkins's fault. In my deep ignorance about history I have alway wondered why Christianity in anglosaxon countries is so centered around the Bible instead of the New Testament, which, if believed is orders of magnitude more important than the Bible. And it seems to have deep consequences on the national characters, if one just looks at the cleverly organized by kinda business cold anglo-saxons compared with the warmth of latin people. Or maybe it's not a consequence but a cause... who knows? The most glaring gap though is a total failure in appreciating the geniality , the poetry and the depth of Jesus life and teachings. Considering the idea of God suffering and dying for the human race as a sadomasochist act is a superficial and silly idea. Even as a little child I noted that Christianity was the only religion I knew of where the founder had not used his cult to life a life of happiness power and domination but suffered and died miserably. That immediately rules out the scenario in which some smart guy uses religious sense in other people to reach wealth and power. It's also an highly poetic and genially crazy idea , the idea of a God suffering and dying like the human race has to suffer and die. I don't know about you, but I would not be able to feel much sympathy for a God that sits comfortably in his Paradise while man has to cope with the harshness of life down here... A subject that needs way more analysis and thinking is morality. It's often repeated that if there is no God to decide what's good and what's evil , than morality is necessarily bound to be subjective and arbitrary. I disagree with this. It would be like saying that without parental guide a kid would not have any idea of what is good and what is bad. What you see instead is a lot of kids who can do much better than their parents, even when they happen to have terrible parents. The objectivity of morality is rooted not in someone arbitrary decision, be him a parent or a god, but in understanding the objective consequences of an action. It would be quite depressing even for a religious person to believe that, for example, murder is evil not because of its evil consequences but because God doesn't like it. And that's also why religious people everywhere should have very clear that while reason cannot prove or disprove religion, any religious claim or behaviour must stand the test of reason. I would also object to Dawkins optimistic and naive idea of the moral standards improving with time. That's a very narrow point of view that surprises me in an intelligent man like Dawkins..yes, standards of life has improved , sure, in his little corner of the World.. most of Europe and US, but this is just a tiny bit of ur planet. Richard you should have the courage of giving a hard look at Africa, Asia and south America and realize that the only things that has improved is the economy of a minority of Earth nations, and this partly because of the advancement of science and technology but mostly because of the exploiting of the rest of the planet, like the Iraq war can easily remind us. The only thing that can provoke an improvement in morality is culture and knowledge. In that sense I see the metaphor of God as "The Verb" particularly striking. Intelligence, knowledge and culture can help us see through the consequences of our actions and give an objective , "scientific" foundation to make this planet a decent place to live in. Look around, and you will easily see that the persons responsible of selfish, brutal or irresponsible actions are very often persons who have little education and cultural background. And with culture I don't mean just the one you can get from books and university, but even the family traditions, as in this respect wisdom is more important than sheer knowledge. And finally about the inspiration that the authors tries to give in the final chapters, which should fill the gap left by the refutation of God.. well I have to say that Dawkins is am exceedingly brilliant science writer, extremely stimulating and fascinating as far as science is concerned, but as for inspiration and passion, well he's just a tiny bit to "technical" for that. And here comes my last critic to this nonetheless fascinating book. Religion can be dangerous, but so can be any kind of fixation, even an adoration for science that makes you look at everything through the same old glasses of science and analyze your life and reality just in those terms. If your life is centered only around one spot, be it religion, literature, science, sportsmanship or whatever else you might like, your life and your view of the cosmos is necessarily going to be narrow , rigid and ultimately boring. ps> and please, Richard, stop it with your meme theory, it's not a scientific theory, it's not needed to explain anything, it's just an analogy. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Influential Book on an Important Topic *by B***K on April 3, 2013* The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion" is the book that raised consciousness about the "God" question. It takes a critical look at the belief of God and espouses a superior way of viewing the world. This book has inspired countless other books of this ilk and in many respects provided the inspiration for many people to "come out". The book holds up quite well after a third reading, biologist, best-selling author and icon of the atheist movement, Richard Dawkins takes the reader on a journey into the most fascinating topic of them all, religion. This captivating 464-page book is composed of the following ten chapters: 1. A Deeply Religious Non-Believer, 2. The God Hypothesis, 3. Arguments for God's Existence, 4. Why There Are Almost Certainly No God, 5. The Roots of Religion, 6. The Roots of Morality: Why are we Good?, 7. The `Good' Book and the Changing Moral Zeitgeist, 8. What's Wrong with Religion? Why be so Hostile? 9. Childhood, Abuse and the Escape from Religion, and 10. A Much Needed Gap? Positives: 1. An influential book that inspired an intellectual movement. 2. The most interesting topic, religion, in the hands of a great, passionate thinker. 3. A thought-provoking book written with panache. 4. A book that focuses on raising consciousness on the "God" question, mission accomplished. 5. This book is a quote fest, "When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion." 6. A look at the many views of `God', "Of course, like any other word, the word `God' can be given any meaning we like. If you want to say that `God' is energy,' then you can find God in a lump of coal." 7. The author does a wonderful job of defining important terms. 8. Debunking misconceptions. Take Einstein for instance, "I am a deeply religious nonbeliever." 9. The author does a wonderful job of supporting his arguments with case studies and sound logic. 10. The religious views of the Founding Fathers in perspective. Interesting stuff! 11. The spectrum of religious belief. 12. A look at prayer, "to pray: to ask that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single petitioner, confessed unworthy." The prayer case study. 13. A couple of chapters are dedicated to the most popular arguments for God's existence. 14. Natural selection as a conscious raiser. "Natural selection not only explains the whole of life; it also raises our consciousness to the power of science to explain how organized complexity can emerge from simple beginnings without any deliberate guidance." 15. Ideas of where religion came from. Many interesting ideas on why people are vulnerable to the charms of religion. Dawkins' specific hypothesis relates to the indoctrination of children. A partial list of religious memes. 16. The roots of morality. The four good Darwinian reasons for individuals to be moral. 17. A great chapter on why people who claim to derive their morals from scripture do not really do so in practice. Biblical examples that illustrate that, "we don't get our morals from scripture." Dawkins takes off his gloves. 18. Debunking the notion that atheism is behind bad behaviour. "What matters is not whether Hitler and Stalin were atheists but whether atheism systematically influences people to do bad things. There is not the smallest evidence that it does." 19. The effects of religion, "one of the truly bad effects of religion is that it teaches us that it is a virtue to be satisfied with not understanding." "As a scientist, I am hostile to fundamentalist religion because it actively debauches the scientific enterprise. It teaches us not to change our minds, and not to want to know exciting things that are available to be known. It subverts science and saps the intellect." 20. The dangers of indoctrination of children into religion. "Children should be taught not so much what to think as how to think." 21. I enjoyed reading the list of Bible-inspired phrases. 22. Debunks the notion of the necessity for a god. "Religion's power to console doesn't make it true". 23. An excellent appendix that provides resources for people trying to escape from religion. 24. Books cited. Negatives: 1. No links for Kindle. 2. Dawkins is unable to answer some questions in which I believe there are plausible answers. To the question of why religion has flourished in America, I would contend that the separation of Church and State has in combination with financial benefits (tax-free) and the open-market system has contributed greatly. In summary, I read this book years ago when it first came out and I must say it inspired me. I always felt that for the truth to have any value it would have to correspond to reality but never really had the courage to espouse my views openly. Thanks to people like the late Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris I was able to not only obtain the courage but the clarity of thought to be comfortable enough to be comfortable in my own skin. Is this book the best book out there on this topic? No. Is it the most theologically strident book? Hardly. Is it the most comprehensive book on the topic? Once again, no, but it may be the most important book on the topic because it caused an intellectual movement that is here to stay. Highly recommended! Further suggestions: " Why I Became an Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity " and " The End of Christianity " by John Loftus, " Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism " and "Why I'm Not a Christian" by Richard Carrier, " Natural Atheism " and " Atheism Advanced: Further Thoughts of a Freethinker " by Dr. David Eller, " Man Made God: A Collection of Essays " by Barbara G. Walker, " The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values " by Sam Harris, "The World Is Not as We Think It Is" by Dennis Littrell, " Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How It Drives Civilization " by Stephen Cave, , " God: The Failed Hypothesis. How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist " by Victor J. Stenger, " Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists " by Dan Barker, "Christian No More: On Leaving Christianity, Debunking Christianity, And Embracing Atheism And Freethinking" by Jeffrey Mark, and "The Invention of God" by Bill Lauritzen. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Delusions Abound Because Clarity Costs *by B***T on November 16, 2006* Critics of Richard Dawkins' new book The God Delusion ultimately characterize his work as both angry and vitriolic, or more tamely, polemic. These are unhelpful descriptions as each fails to ask the question whether Dawkins has something to be angry, vitriolic or polemic about. Too many cultural commentators want to engender what they claim to be a thought process, but is in all actuality a feeling, that we should find a middle road between the mandates of science and the insights of spirituality. The bargain such people strike to make has value, but only where we can manage to clearly differentiate between those areas of life which science can and has spoken to, and those where it has not. A number of reviewers from prestigious newspapers, periodicals and journals have already commented on what they see as the merits and missteps of Dawkins' book; however, many of them have not wrestled with several of the critical insights in his work. To resort to the ambiguous but doubtlessly effective (at least as measured by persuading people not to be bothered with Dawkins) charge that his analysis is angry, is to be unwilling to meet Dawkins on the grounds of his arguments. It should be said that, in the interests of fairness, Dawkins is surprisingly willing not to resort to similar vagaries. While a portion of his book does deal with fundamentalism and its various confused pulpiteers such as Dobson, Falwell and their ilk, this is only a small section of his book. That he is willing to bear the responsibility for pointing out what these people actually believe, their hopes for reshaping American culture, and how their beliefs impact hard science should not mean that we relegate Dawkins to the same heap of exasperation we do fundamentalists. Perhaps it is the biologist within Dawkins that leads him to believe a parallel exists between biological cancer and similarly suspicious malignant ideological growths. While many of us wish to overlook fundamentalists with the hope they will simply go away, Dawkins fears this might not only be naΓ―ve, but irresponsible. History is full of moments when society has regressed, labeling dissent the path to eternal damnation instead of earthly wisdom. While it might be that the inherent practical nature of the American people will be offended by the objectives of religious fundamentalism, rebel and find our historical balance, we easily forget that this balance is many times found only because of the clarion call from those who see the creeping influence and suspicious agendas of fundamentalists and require that we respond. A certain shame should be accorded to those who view with equal exasperation the fundamentalist and those who believe they can not be dismissed, but must be responded to. As a scientist, Dawkins is privy to a particular question which contemporary culture largely believes remains unanswered, but science does not. This question is the hot-button issue of evolution. For many, belief in evolution is somehow inter-related with issues like abortion and homosexuality. No doubt, within the realm of ideological inquiry, we may successfully frame almost any issue in majestic terms that invoke non-quantitative words which have, at their core, the ability to project and then protect the idea that certain questions are unanswerable through rigorous scientific inquiry. At its base, the question of evolution echoing in the head of the average person probably has less to do with science and more to do with the implications from scientific inquiry and theory in general. People's intuition subconsciously registers the threat that evolution presents; namely, that naturalism may be a task master no less demanding than certain religious systems. The idea that we may have only one opportunity to experience life adds a certain intensity within it which many currently avoid by pushing their hopes, aspirations and expectations (of themselves and others) into an afterlife. Additionally, among profound thoughts, few exceed the evolutionary realization that life on this planet is precious, inter-related, and that the environment must be viewed as a holistic organism within which we individually and collectively play an important role. What scares Dawkins is probably the realization that for many people, the insights of evolutionary theory are believed to be inseparable from a descent into animalistic hedonism. Never mind that ideas like morality have equivalents in the animal kingdom, as do love, nurturing and protecting life. If one of the fundamental truths of the natural universe is Darwinism, we should share a certain amount of alarm with Dawkins that the implications to evolutionary science are being so poorly received. Man owes no duty to myth or to tradition, and finds progress only in those moments in time when verifiable truth is allowed to dictate how we engage reality. In this sense, Dawkins bears the vanguard of members of the natural sciences like Galileo who believed that any supposedly spiritual truth which could not bear the light of modernity was not worth protecting in the first place. For those who wish to somehow tiptoe around the theory of evolution, Dawkins is perceived as hostile. To those who believe something important might actually be at stake by understanding where life comes from and how it develops, Dawkins is fighting for a solitary focus on what we know, not what we wish to believe is true. This latter point has not only important philosophical, scientific and theological outcomes, it has immense practical value by freeing the abused spouse or child to realize that what they wish to be true - that the abuser loves them, but is unaware of how to show it - is simply a prison from which they can only escape by separating what they wish was true from what can be verified as loving. To his credit, Dawkins takes his scientific and philosophical critics seriously and responds assertively. Those who see his book as bracing are not being fair - if scientific inquiry is to mean anything it must not blanch at challenges which attempt and endlessly find some open hole through which they can see the shortcomings to a particular theory. Dawkins is never better than when defending the difference between science and theology, where one sees ignorance as limits to inquiry and knowledge versus the other as the gap only a creator god can fill. In a successful effort to be intellectually serious, Dawkins carefully uses examples of fundamentalists within hard science. This is probably because they are a rare species (perhaps his critics wish his biologist's sense of the need to protect endangered life was more acutely directed towards them), but more likely because he knows well they can create straw men which he does not appreciate being used on him. Dawkins' treatment of the classical arguments for intelligent design, Anselm and Aquinas' postulates for the proof of God are treated similarly respectfully, which is not to say they fare well in his hands. It would surprise me if this book did more than add fuel to the fire; however, if we wish to employ a literary euphemism such as this, it would be appropriate to state that sometimes fire is nature's way of regulating itself (as the blow-down effect in the northern woods suggests). If so, the fire Dawkins is building may be an important part of our growth in consciousness. People who look to Dawkins with a critical eye towards what he suggests about internal spirituality should be careful as this was not the primary, or even secondary, thrust of his analysis. The purpose of this book was to deal with a particular set of concerns which Dawkins believes represents a bulwark to the progress of humanity. In a hat-tip to this inevitable criticism, towards the end of his book Dawkins does present a middle way which suggests a vehicle for transitioning between where most humanity is and the implications of evolutionary biology. While well-intentioned and certainly not without its merits, I much prefer writers who consider evolution's insights fixed and have moved on to wrestle with how we reshape religion into conscious personal enlightenment. To be a spry debater is not to be mean. Many who mistake Dawkins' assertive and direct style for vitriol do so less because they believe his attitude prevents civil discourse, and more in the hopes that society can advance without calling ineptness for its inadequacies, and confusing current limits of human knowledge with the inevitability of supernatural explanations. At his base, Dawkins does not feel compelled to believe without proof, an attitude which some believe has value only within the sciences. Among the many insights to this book, perhaps the one which will stick with most is the simple realization that we have no need of beliefs which can not be tested or of ideas which give solace but wither under scrutiny. What we may hope for should not be what we believe, lest we give in to any number of delusions, only one of which is, as Dawkins describes, The God Delusion. ## Frequently Bought Together - The God Delusion - The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/235255-the-god-delusion-a-study-of-religious-belief-and-skepticism](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/235255-the-god-delusion-a-study-of-religious-belief-and-skepticism) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-07-15*