Adieu to God (eBook)

Why Psychology Leads to Atheism

Mick Power (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2012
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
978-1-119-97995-1 (ISBN)

Infos

Adieu to God examines atheism from a psychological perspective and reveals how religious phenomena and beliefs are psychological rather than supernatural in origin. Answers the psychological question of why, in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, do religions continue to prosper? Looks at atheism and religion using a fair and balanced approach based on the latest work in psychology, sociology, anthropology, psychiatry and medicine Acknowledges the many psychological benefits of religion while still questioning the validity of its supernatural belief systems and providing atheist alternatives to a fulfilling life

Autor

Mick Power is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, as well as a practicing Clinical Psychologist who has worked at Guy's Hospital and Maudsley and Bethlem Hospitals. Raised as a Catholic, Power became an atheist at 16.

Inhalt

Preface ix

1. A Short History of Religion 1

2. The Psychology of Religion--The Varieties of Normal
Experience 33

3. The Psychology of Religion--The Varieties of Abnormal
Experience 61

4. Social Structures and Religion 89

5. Religion, Power, and Control 113

6. Religion and Health 141

7. How to Be a Healthy Atheist 167

References 181

Author Index 191

Subject Index 195

Rezensionen

"In this fascinating little book (201 pages, including
references and a subject index), Mick Power communicates no such
tinge of agnosticism when proclaiming in the preface of Adieu to
God: Why Psychology Leads to Atheismthat "my belief is that
psychology (with help from philosophy, anthropology, sociology,
physics, biology . . .) offers a far more powerful explanation than
any religious system ever will" (p.x)."
(PsycCRITIQUES, 1 June 2013)

"His final chapter summarises the argument and proposes
how one might be a healthy atheist with a sense of meaning and
purpose, a sense of belonging and community and a set of personal
goals and values. He does not forecast the disappearance of
religions but proposes how they can be explained in terms of
psychology and sociology." (The Scientific &
Medical Network, 1 April 2012)

Dawkins and Dennett taught us that there's no room for God in
biology. Stenger and Hawking taught us that there's no room
for God in cosmology either. Now Mick Power pushes God out of his
last safe haven: the human mind. Power has written a great little
book, showing that psychology is just as much of a threat to
religious belief as evolutionary theory and cosmology.
Fundamentalists are going to lose a lot of sleep over this
one!

--Dr. Steve Stewart-Williams, Lecturer in
Psychology, Swansea University, UK

"In Adieu to God, Mick Power gives a powerful and
humane account of the case for atheism from an under-explored
angle."

--Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British
Humanist Association, UK

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 6.1.2012
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie
• Schlagworte: abound • Adieu • Although • argues • contrary • Death • dichotomy • Diversity, Culture & Ethnicity • Evidence • examines • FACE • Kulturelle u. ethnische Vielfalt • Modern • organized • Overwhelming • Perspective • Power • Psychological • Psychologie • Psychology • Religion • religion continues • religion provides • Rumors • Scientific • Shortcomings • Society
• ISBN-10: 1-119-97995-1 / 1119979951
• ISBN-13: 978-1-119-97995-1 / 9781119979951