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Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism by Richard Carrier
If God does not exist, then what does? Is there good and evil, and should we care? How do we know what’s true anyway? And can we make any sense of this universe, or our own lives? Sense and Goodness answers all these questions in lavish detail, without complex jargon. A complete worldview is presented and defended, covering every subject from knowledge to art, from metaphysics to morality, from theology to politics. Topics include free will, the nature of the universe, the meaning of life, and much more, arguing from scientific evidence that there is only a physical, natural world without gods or spirits, but that we can still live a life of love, meaning, and joy.
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First published February 1, 2005
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About the author
Richard C. Carrier
18 books326 followersRichard Cevantis Carrier is an American historian, published philosopher, and prominent defender of the American freethought movement. He is well known for his writings on Internet Infidels, otherwise known as the Secular Web, where he served as Editor-in-Chief for several years. As an advocate of atheism and metaphysical naturalism, he has published articles in books, journals and magazines, and also features on the documentary film The God Who Wasn't There, where he is interviewed about his doubts on the historicity of Jesus. He currently contributes to The God Contention, a web site comparing and contrasting various worldviews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
August 1, 2014
There is no refutation for the standard proofs of supernatural or magical thinking mumbo jumbo that this book doesn't address. Usually, if you watch a debate on youtube for the proof of God and the person's specific religion all the arguments follow the same six forms: design and teleological, first cause, morality, ontological, purpose of life, and proof of the resurrection. This book leaves no stone unturned and provides a scientific basis and explanation for all supernatural phenomena and the standard proofs of magical thinking. We never appeal to the supernatural anywhere else is life, why make an exception for the unknown?
The author is actually very gentle as he dismantles each argument. The book is really encyclopedic in its presentation, but he lets his arguments flow into the next such that the listener thinks he's listening to one thematically tied together story with an easy to understand narrative and not realizing the encyclopedic nature of the story. He's not really an expert on most of the topics he's discussing but he does a great job in explaining everything, but sometimes he lacks depth.
Science is hard. Religion is easy. Science must always deal with doubt and probabilities. Religion has no doubts. (Scientific) Truth is only a probability. The best we can do is have a 'corresponding theory of truth" and if our theories correspond to reality we use them, when they don't we modify or get better ones. He correctly points out the facts of evolution existed before Darwin and the Theory of Evolution is the model that goes about explaining the data better than any other model before it. Even if the model gets rejected there are still the facts of Evolution. They will always exist.
He does give the listener many interesting ways of thinking about science and religion and can convince any serious listener that the world can be explained with naturalistic means. He makes many insightful points and almost every reader will profit from reading (or listening) to this book. He defines a "hard atheist" as someone who doesn't believe in any of the currently known God(s). Thus not necessarily rejecting all supernatural explanations. I think that's a good way of framing the problem. It's easy to reject all the currently known God(s), but perhaps a good supernatural explanation will come along (something coherent, consistent, and non-contradictory), and moreover will have an iota of data or theory to support it. The theory of atoms came before ever seeing one, but the coiner of the word "quanta" and real developer of the second law of thermodynamics, Ludwig Boltzman, was driven to suicide because his correct ideas were rejected by the establishment. I'm not willing to reject any reasonable theory about a God or a supernatural entity. I just haven't come across a reasonable theory as of yet.
I liked the book and I can recommend it. It's a good book for a religious person who is starting to question non-naturalistic explanations. The only real problem is the author covers everything but he doesn't ever get to cover anything in depth and gives it the nuance that the topic requires. For example, he does talk about the Historicity of the Resurrection and does a good job, but, Bart Ehrman's latest book covers it in much more detail and gives the nuances that's required to understand the real issues. Matter of fact, if I were to recommend one book to help someone deconvert from Christainity it would be to read Bart Ehrman's book, "How Jesus Became God", it can open ones eyes to what it means when someone says "the bible says". Or if someone's faith was tied up in the truth of The Theory of Evolution, I would recommend Dennett's "Darwin's Dangerous Idea", it gives a complete story on why Evolution Theory is correct and how to think about science.
The author is actually very gentle as he dismantles each argument. The book is really encyclopedic in its presentation, but he lets his arguments flow into the next such that the listener thinks he's listening to one thematically tied together story with an easy to understand narrative and not realizing the encyclopedic nature of the story. He's not really an expert on most of the topics he's discussing but he does a great job in explaining everything, but sometimes he lacks depth.
Science is hard. Religion is easy. Science must always deal with doubt and probabilities. Religion has no doubts. (Scientific) Truth is only a probability. The best we can do is have a 'corresponding theory of truth" and if our theories correspond to reality we use them, when they don't we modify or get better ones. He correctly points out the facts of evolution existed before Darwin and the Theory of Evolution is the model that goes about explaining the data better than any other model before it. Even if the model gets rejected there are still the facts of Evolution. They will always exist.
He does give the listener many interesting ways of thinking about science and religion and can convince any serious listener that the world can be explained with naturalistic means. He makes many insightful points and almost every reader will profit from reading (or listening) to this book. He defines a "hard atheist" as someone who doesn't believe in any of the currently known God(s). Thus not necessarily rejecting all supernatural explanations. I think that's a good way of framing the problem. It's easy to reject all the currently known God(s), but perhaps a good supernatural explanation will come along (something coherent, consistent, and non-contradictory), and moreover will have an iota of data or theory to support it. The theory of atoms came before ever seeing one, but the coiner of the word "quanta" and real developer of the second law of thermodynamics, Ludwig Boltzman, was driven to suicide because his correct ideas were rejected by the establishment. I'm not willing to reject any reasonable theory about a God or a supernatural entity. I just haven't come across a reasonable theory as of yet.
I liked the book and I can recommend it. It's a good book for a religious person who is starting to question non-naturalistic explanations. The only real problem is the author covers everything but he doesn't ever get to cover anything in depth and gives it the nuance that the topic requires. For example, he does talk about the Historicity of the Resurrection and does a good job, but, Bart Ehrman's latest book covers it in much more detail and gives the nuances that's required to understand the real issues. Matter of fact, if I were to recommend one book to help someone deconvert from Christainity it would be to read Bart Ehrman's book, "How Jesus Became God", it can open ones eyes to what it means when someone says "the bible says". Or if someone's faith was tied up in the truth of The Theory of Evolution, I would recommend Dennett's "Darwin's Dangerous Idea", it gives a complete story on why Evolution Theory is correct and how to think about science.
March 15, 2019
أن هذا الكتاب ليس رحلة فكرية أو سيرة ذاتية بل هو مجموعة مقالات كتبها الكاتب بغرض تفريغ الأفكار من رأسه والدفاع عن معتقداته والأفكار التي توصل أليها بعد رحلته الفكرية. المؤلف ريتشارد كارير ولد وتربى في كنف عائلة مسيحية لكن مع بلوغ المراهقة وجد أن المسيحية لا توفي تطلعاته وعاش في صورة مذبذبة حتى وجد الطاوية وتعمق بها إلى أن خلص أنها فكرة جيدة لكنها بالتاكيد ليست دين حقيقي وتعاني الكثير من العيوب لذلك قضى بقية حياته كملحد. ويأتي هذا الكتاب لتوضيح أرائه وأفكاره في الحياة وليحاول أن يبين أن الحياة المادية ليست قاتمة ومليئة بالقلق كما يصورها المؤمنون. فهي حياة عادية تتضمن الفرح والحزن والتفكير والفضول وكل شيء يملكه آخر يوفره الدين. فيتناول في هذا الكتاب أرائه في الحياة والموت والدين والأخلاق والسياسية والجمال وغيرها من المواضيع.
الكتاب أشبه ما يكون بالمقالات المنفصلة عن بعضها البعض فيمكن قراءة أغلبها بصورة منفصلة من دون أن تفقد قيمتها أو فكرتها الرئيسية لكنها بنفس الوقت مترابطة بتسلسل جيد فكل فكرة تفتح الباب لفكرة جديدة أو لمقالة جديدة.
أن أفضل فصل بالنسبة لي كان عندما تحدث عن كيفية معرفة صحة حديث أو واقعة تاريخية المصاعب التي يواجهها المؤرخ في التأكد من مصداقية المصادر التاريخية.وكيف يتم تزوير التاريخ والتهويل والتضخيم الذي يضيفه أغلب المؤرخين إلى الحوادث التاريخية وخاصة أن كانت حوادث دينية.
علي الاعتراف أن بعض حججه لم تقنعني بالكامل وخصوصا في المسائل الأخلاقية فهو عادية ينتهي إلى استنتاج أنها صحيحة لأنها صحيحة! لكن بقية الفصول كانت جيدة وتسلسل أفكاره واستنتاجاته كانت في محلها.
أخيراً كان هذا كتاب جيد لكني لا أنصح به فهو كتاب رائع للاطلاع على الرؤى والأفكار التي يحملها الملحدون واللادينيون والماديون بصورة عامة والترجمة كانت جيدة لكن الكاتب لا يضيف شيء جديد أو يناقش أفكار جديدة . الكتاب قد يفيد من يمرون بأزمات دينية أو فكرية ولا يعرفون أين عليهم الذهاب .
the sunset limited في النهاية أنصحكم بمشاهدة فلم
فرغم أن الفلم ليس له علاقة بهذا الكتاب لكن الكثير من أفكار الكاتب قد ذكرت على لسان تومي لي جونز في هذا الفلم حيث يمثل شخصية عالم ملحد يقرر الأنتحار ويأتي شخص مسيحي بسيط ليقنعه بالعكس وتدور بينهم أحاديث فلسفية وفكرية عميقة جداً
June 25, 2011
Sense and Goodness Without God by Richard Carrier
Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism is a great reference book about the metaphysical naturalist worldview. It's a book the answers the big philosophical questions about our world in a comprehensive and thorough fashion. Mr. Carrier tackles a very ambitious project; he covers a lot of interesting issues with a luxury of details, such as: religion, knowledge, science, art, politics, etc...The book has 444 pages and is composed of eight major chapters: I. Introduction, II. How We Know, III. What There Is, IV. What There Isn't, V. Natural Morality, VI. Natural Beauty, VII. Natural Politics, and VIII. Conclusion.
Positives:
1. A well written, accessible book for the masses of the most important philosophical questions of the world. Some concepts are still dense but the author does an excellent job of clearly conveying his worldview.
2. Very knowledgeable author who explains with a luxury of details his naturalist worldview. Each major chapter is broken out into sub chapters. At the end of each subchapter there is a bibliography of suggested reading material. Excellent.
3. Very thorough book. Each topic is covered with great care and obviously well thought out.
4. The book is reference quality. I will use this book for future reference. Some very interesting concepts, ideas and even methodology are explained in a clear, logical manner.
5. There is so much knowledge in this book! I also enjoy how the author refutes critics of his worldview. J.P. Moreland is referenced quite a bit.
6. One of the biggest strengths of this book is the sound logic backed by science.
7. Thought provoking. I enjoy books that make me think, this book is brain candy.
8. The concept of abstraction explained in plain English. Many more concepts as well. Thank you.
9. The concept or myth that is the soul is one of my favorite topics, and Mr. Carrier shares much needed insight.
10. Coherent thinking throughout.
11. Well worth the investment of time needed to read from cover to cover.
12. There is a lot to take from this book. Many concepts and ideas are much clearer in my mind as a result of this book. Mr. Carrier's ability to convey cogent thoughts in a precise manner had a lot to do with it.
13. Very positive book.
Negatives:
1. An investment of time is required to get through this book but ultimately is worth it.
2. So much in this book, some chapters are tedious and the author belabors some points.
3. Ambition perhaps made this book bigger than it should have been.
4. With so many diverse topics covered, it's expected that some topics will be of much more interest than others.
5. Some charts or illustrations would have helped explain some concepts. As an example, a chart of worldviews.
6. Perhaps a little humor could have been used to break it up a little bit.
In summary, I compare Sense and Goodness with the building of a solid house. At first, it takes a while to build up a sound foundation, there is a lot of prep work and such but once it is down the walls come up in a hurry. That's exactly how this book flows; Richard Carrier spends a lot of time going through the methodology of knowledge and establishes a good foundation of what is to come. As a reader, I was rewarded with an ambitious book that delivers the goods. The philosophy of Secular Humanism is one I endorse and live by and so it is always good to read a book that articulates my way of thinking cogently. The book deserves five stars for its depth and consistency.
Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism is a great reference book about the metaphysical naturalist worldview. It's a book the answers the big philosophical questions about our world in a comprehensive and thorough fashion. Mr. Carrier tackles a very ambitious project; he covers a lot of interesting issues with a luxury of details, such as: religion, knowledge, science, art, politics, etc...The book has 444 pages and is composed of eight major chapters: I. Introduction, II. How We Know, III. What There Is, IV. What There Isn't, V. Natural Morality, VI. Natural Beauty, VII. Natural Politics, and VIII. Conclusion.
Positives:
1. A well written, accessible book for the masses of the most important philosophical questions of the world. Some concepts are still dense but the author does an excellent job of clearly conveying his worldview.
2. Very knowledgeable author who explains with a luxury of details his naturalist worldview. Each major chapter is broken out into sub chapters. At the end of each subchapter there is a bibliography of suggested reading material. Excellent.
3. Very thorough book. Each topic is covered with great care and obviously well thought out.
4. The book is reference quality. I will use this book for future reference. Some very interesting concepts, ideas and even methodology are explained in a clear, logical manner.
5. There is so much knowledge in this book! I also enjoy how the author refutes critics of his worldview. J.P. Moreland is referenced quite a bit.
6. One of the biggest strengths of this book is the sound logic backed by science.
7. Thought provoking. I enjoy books that make me think, this book is brain candy.
8. The concept of abstraction explained in plain English. Many more concepts as well. Thank you.
9. The concept or myth that is the soul is one of my favorite topics, and Mr. Carrier shares much needed insight.
10. Coherent thinking throughout.
11. Well worth the investment of time needed to read from cover to cover.
12. There is a lot to take from this book. Many concepts and ideas are much clearer in my mind as a result of this book. Mr. Carrier's ability to convey cogent thoughts in a precise manner had a lot to do with it.
13. Very positive book.
Negatives:
1. An investment of time is required to get through this book but ultimately is worth it.
2. So much in this book, some chapters are tedious and the author belabors some points.
3. Ambition perhaps made this book bigger than it should have been.
4. With so many diverse topics covered, it's expected that some topics will be of much more interest than others.
5. Some charts or illustrations would have helped explain some concepts. As an example, a chart of worldviews.
6. Perhaps a little humor could have been used to break it up a little bit.
In summary, I compare Sense and Goodness with the building of a solid house. At first, it takes a while to build up a sound foundation, there is a lot of prep work and such but once it is down the walls come up in a hurry. That's exactly how this book flows; Richard Carrier spends a lot of time going through the methodology of knowledge and establishes a good foundation of what is to come. As a reader, I was rewarded with an ambitious book that delivers the goods. The philosophy of Secular Humanism is one I endorse and live by and so it is always good to read a book that articulates my way of thinking cogently. The book deserves five stars for its depth and consistency.
September 14, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. I came to it expecting to find an intelligent defense of a moral outlook that didn't depend on a God and found instead a full-fledged world/cosmic view that perfectly described my own but so much more completely than I have ever managed to communicate.
If I were to direct someone to a source from which they might gain a good understanding of my own way of thinking, other than to my own writings I would send them to this book, which covers topics ranging from the meaning of words, to the nature of reason, to the nature of the universe (how it came to be and why the theory of a naturally occurring universe fits the evidence better than that of one created by a God), to the question of Free will, to the nature of the human mind, the meaning of life, and of course - the origins and nature of genuine morality, plus other topics you might not expect, such as why we find some things beautiful and not others, and a commentary on politics.
I enjoyed it all immensely. Perhaps you will too.
If I were to direct someone to a source from which they might gain a good understanding of my own way of thinking, other than to my own writings I would send them to this book, which covers topics ranging from the meaning of words, to the nature of reason, to the nature of the universe (how it came to be and why the theory of a naturally occurring universe fits the evidence better than that of one created by a God), to the question of Free will, to the nature of the human mind, the meaning of life, and of course - the origins and nature of genuine morality, plus other topics you might not expect, such as why we find some things beautiful and not others, and a commentary on politics.
I enjoyed it all immensely. Perhaps you will too.
April 3, 2018
This was a great book on Naturalism. While there are a number of good books that cover the various subjects and disciplines that are addressed in this one, none of them knit everything together like Richard Carrier does. There is a lot to get through and you will want to read it more than once. After each section is a bibliography for further exploring the topic being discussed.
March 8, 2014
Excellent discussion of metaphysical naturalism. It is unfortunately an overly broad discussion with regards to specific applications. I followed all of his logic and arguments until the very end, when he gets into his personal political views. Somehow there is a disconnect between the evidence he demands of religion, and the evidence he demands for government policies. He understands the misery brought on by all collective socialistic regimes, except the modern liberal ones. He also describes all the programs he endorses as being good, without offering any evidence to that respect. I will, however, have to read the supporting material he lists at each chapter. The first part of the book I would have given 4 stars, the last section 1.
May 15, 2019
🎉🎉🎉
медальку мені!
медальку мені!
October 30, 2021
كتاب لابد من قراءته للوقوف على فلسفة طبيعية وجودية، رغم طوله المبالغ فيه.
August 11, 2012
The content in this book will require much writing and discussion. I was already a "metaphysical naturalist" upon reading this book, and already very familiar with Carrier and his thought.
The first 80% of the book is wonderfully argued and arranged. Ethics are not my focus in philosophy (for me it's epistemology, aesthetics, and politics), so his discussions there are a little over my head, but I believe I understood them. I have some studying to do on the subject, but I must admit that what Carrier presents in those chapters is strongly convincing.
The chapter on aesthetics is mostly well-argued and accurate, even as he takes shots at Picasso and abstract art that I think are unfounded, simply because he doesn't have an appreciation for them. Yet, he himself describes beauty as relying in part upon many things that make Picasso and others appealing to many people. He argues that if intelligent aliens came to visit us, he would hope that we would show them DiVinci and not Picasso, but this is a false dichotomy. I would hope we would show them the best examples of every form so they could see what really makes us--not just lovers of classical art-- tick.
The chapter on politics falls apart. Take the first few weeks of any intro to poly-sci class, and also imagine this class is taught by a dedicated populist who seems to believe that the truth lies at the midpoint between to opposing parties, and you can probably guess at the content of this chapter. Carrier divies up points between "conservative" and "liberal" (his definitions there need refinement) like he's splitting up candy between two bratty and whiny children. This isn't really helpful. For example, should we teach creationism "half of the time" in public school science classes? Certainly, Carrier doesn't think so, but as a philosopher Carrier is well versed in science and epistemology and so he in that context knows that this kind of moderation is simply not constructive. It is usually the case that one side of a conflict is more correct (often, much more correct) than the other. Conservatism, like it or not, is in every society the name given to the group of people who defend and support the property rights of the upper class all the way to the point of feudalism (which was once a "liberal" cause in relation to the "conservatives" at that time: monarchs). So these political terms are relative, and it does not help to assign platforms and virtues to relative political stances that change drastically over time. The only common denominator between the two is the class struggle: "Liberals" are always for the spreading around of power in society, "conservative" are always for keeping it in the hands of a privileged few. There is no other common thread. So Carrier misses the mark here, and unfortunately, for me this made his book 4-stars instead of 5. And that's a shame, because I really want to give it 5. What i'm wondering is, what on earth does Carrier Populism 101 have to do with Metaphysical Naturalism? Nothing. I understand it's a part of a philosophical worldview, but we all must choose our specialties and should be humble when we wander away from them (see my discussion of ethics above).
I should also say that Carrier is one of my favorite intellectuals on the internet, and I follow him quite regularly. But history is really his strong suit, and I must say i'm most impressed when he is writing on the subject of ancient history and religion. I feel like I should praise this book more, but i'm sure he'll live without my back-patting.
The first 80% of the book is wonderfully argued and arranged. Ethics are not my focus in philosophy (for me it's epistemology, aesthetics, and politics), so his discussions there are a little over my head, but I believe I understood them. I have some studying to do on the subject, but I must admit that what Carrier presents in those chapters is strongly convincing.
The chapter on aesthetics is mostly well-argued and accurate, even as he takes shots at Picasso and abstract art that I think are unfounded, simply because he doesn't have an appreciation for them. Yet, he himself describes beauty as relying in part upon many things that make Picasso and others appealing to many people. He argues that if intelligent aliens came to visit us, he would hope that we would show them DiVinci and not Picasso, but this is a false dichotomy. I would hope we would show them the best examples of every form so they could see what really makes us--not just lovers of classical art-- tick.
The chapter on politics falls apart. Take the first few weeks of any intro to poly-sci class, and also imagine this class is taught by a dedicated populist who seems to believe that the truth lies at the midpoint between to opposing parties, and you can probably guess at the content of this chapter. Carrier divies up points between "conservative" and "liberal" (his definitions there need refinement) like he's splitting up candy between two bratty and whiny children. This isn't really helpful. For example, should we teach creationism "half of the time" in public school science classes? Certainly, Carrier doesn't think so, but as a philosopher Carrier is well versed in science and epistemology and so he in that context knows that this kind of moderation is simply not constructive. It is usually the case that one side of a conflict is more correct (often, much more correct) than the other. Conservatism, like it or not, is in every society the name given to the group of people who defend and support the property rights of the upper class all the way to the point of feudalism (which was once a "liberal" cause in relation to the "conservatives" at that time: monarchs). So these political terms are relative, and it does not help to assign platforms and virtues to relative political stances that change drastically over time. The only common denominator between the two is the class struggle: "Liberals" are always for the spreading around of power in society, "conservative" are always for keeping it in the hands of a privileged few. There is no other common thread. So Carrier misses the mark here, and unfortunately, for me this made his book 4-stars instead of 5. And that's a shame, because I really want to give it 5. What i'm wondering is, what on earth does Carrier Populism 101 have to do with Metaphysical Naturalism? Nothing. I understand it's a part of a philosophical worldview, but we all must choose our specialties and should be humble when we wander away from them (see my discussion of ethics above).
I should also say that Carrier is one of my favorite intellectuals on the internet, and I follow him quite regularly. But history is really his strong suit, and I must say i'm most impressed when he is writing on the subject of ancient history and religion. I feel like I should praise this book more, but i'm sure he'll live without my back-patting.
March 6, 2014
The author did a very good job of building his case. He used logic and reason to demonstratrate that metaphysical naturalism is the only worldview that is supported by the evidence. Carrier also made an honest effort to present a Christian refutation to his views; and convincingly debunked dissenting points. I didn't necessarily like that he focussed so much time on the writings of JP Moreland but I would have to assume that he did so to give a consistent Christian perspective which was aimed at actively criticising his own work. There were certainly positions with which I would not be in full agreement with the author but I got the feeling that we could have a great time discussing our differences over a few beers. All in all, this book was well worth the considerable time it took me to read it.
August 3, 2020
يتحدث كارير في هذا الكتاب عن فلسفته الشخصية تجاه الحياة والكون وهي "الطبيعية الوجودية"، حيث يتم تفسير كل شئ بطريقة عقلانية وعلمية، واستبعاد أي تفاسير دينية وكل ما له علاقة بأرواح وآلهة وقوى الفوق طبيعية.
يأخذك كارير في رحلة عن كيفية وصوله لقناعاته ثم يشرح عن الفلسفة ولماذا يجب الاهتمام بها، وبعدها ينتقل إلى شرح وجهة نظر الطبيعية عن الكون وطبيعته والعقل والحياة والعاطفة، ثم يتحدث عن أسباب عدم اقتناعه بفكرة الآلهة والأديان وكل ما هو خارق وفوق طبيعي، ويفصل سبع اسباب لعدم الإيمان. يتحدث كذلك عن الأخلاق الطبيعية وكيف انها ممكنة بدون وجود الأديان، ثم يتحدث عن الجمال واخيرا يشرح عن رؤية الطبيعية للسياسة.
الكتاب يحتاج لقراءة متأنية، بعض الفصول مثل الفلسفة والأخلاق تحتاج لأكثر من قراءة واحدة، الكتاب ممتاز، واعجبني أنه قريب لميولي ومعتقداتي وساعد في بلورة رؤيتي تجاه الكون والحياة بشكل عام.
يأخذك كارير في رحلة عن كيفية وصوله لقناعاته ثم يشرح عن الفلسفة ولماذا يجب الاهتمام بها، وبعدها ينتقل إلى شرح وجهة نظر الطبيعية عن الكون وطبيعته والعقل والحياة والعاطفة، ثم يتحدث عن أسباب عدم اقتناعه بفكرة الآلهة والأديان وكل ما هو خارق وفوق طبيعي، ويفصل سبع اسباب لعدم الإيمان. يتحدث كذلك عن الأخلاق الطبيعية وكيف انها ممكنة بدون وجود الأديان، ثم يتحدث عن الجمال واخيرا يشرح عن رؤية الطبيعية للسياسة.
الكتاب يحتاج لقراءة متأنية، بعض الفصول مثل الفلسفة والأخلاق تحتاج لأكثر من قراءة واحدة، الكتاب ممتاز، واعجبني أنه قريب لميولي ومعتقداتي وساعد في بلورة رؤيتي تجاه الكون والحياة بشكل عام.
September 15, 2008
I'd rather give it 3.5 stars.
I skipped a bit and wish I skipped more.
The text reads like a textbook.
The best part in the entire book is the forward by the author.
This book attempts to be an all-inclusive read on every aspect of living a secular humanistic life--giving you the answer to every question which may be asked. This leads a very long, drawn out book. His "Defense of a Metaphysical Naturalism," defends all things defendable.
His material is good. He also does a great job of very accurately responding to questions. However, I think it would best used a reference guide rather than a sit down read cover-to-cover.
I skipped a bit and wish I skipped more.
The text reads like a textbook.
The best part in the entire book is the forward by the author.
This book attempts to be an all-inclusive read on every aspect of living a secular humanistic life--giving you the answer to every question which may be asked. This leads a very long, drawn out book. His "Defense of a Metaphysical Naturalism," defends all things defendable.
His material is good. He also does a great job of very accurately responding to questions. However, I think it would best used a reference guide rather than a sit down read cover-to-cover.
May 8, 2008
Richard Carrier has obviously done a lot of thinking about the Big Questions: who are we, why are we here, what does it mean to love, to be a good person, to matter. And, by and large, his answers are sound and well thought out, especially in the realm of morality and the origin of the universe. His views on the scientific method, art and politics I either quibbled with or outright disagreed with. But he did get me to confess that yes, I am an atheist. And I care about what it means to be a good person anyway.
March 6, 2014
When it's good, it's good, and the early portions of the book are mostly good. I have small complaints on the sections involving free will and morality. When it comes to politics and (especially) economics, the author unleashes an avalanche of derp. He's clearly out of his depth on these topics, and the discussion of them is utterly worthless.
June 11, 2018
لم أكمله للآخر اني أطلعت علي نفس المحتوي في كتب أخري.
الكتاب ككل رائع و الترجمة كذلك، و أعجبني فيه تسلسل الفِكر المستخدم.
الكتاب ككل رائع و الترجمة كذلك، و أعجبني فيه تسلسل الفِكر المستخدم.
March 13, 2021
كتاب عبيط، منقوض الأصول، باطل الأسس، وعليه فروعها.
ولا أعجب من حفاوة البعض به، إذ هما والكاتب سواء في الجهل بالمنطق والمعقولات ...
.
"بل كذبوا بما لم يحيطوا بعلمه ولما يأتهم تأويله ..."
ولا أعجب من حفاوة البعض به، إذ هما والكاتب سواء في الجهل بالمنطق والمعقولات ...
.
"بل كذبوا بما لم يحيطوا بعلمه ولما يأتهم تأويله ..."
June 23, 2024
Wow! What a ride reading this was! In a world where people ponder life's big questions, Richard Carrier’s book Sense and Goodness Without God explores the philosophy of metaphysical naturalism. At first glance, it might appear academic, but Carrier, a scholar and "freethinker," contends that a universe without gods can have just as much, if not more, meaning as one under the control of a higher power.
The book’s main idea is that everything in existence—from tiny particles to the vast cosmos—can be explained through natural laws. Carrier believes there's no need for divine intervention to understand the universe or shape our morals. He looks at topics like free will, objective morality, and beauty from a scientific and rational viewpoint. This method provides an alternative to other philosophical works that might be too technical or filled with specialised terms.
Carrier's writing is clear and engaging, with humour and thought-provoking examples that make concepts easier to grasp. Each chapter focuses on a specific philosophical idea, making it easy for readers to find topics of interest. Some might find the wide range of subjects—from the multiverse theory to political philosophy—a bit overwhelming. It was like travelling on a high-speed train, standing on the roof, with wind rushing through my hair.
Carrier supports his arguments with plenty of research, citing philosophers, scientists, and theologians to create a well-rounded discussion. While some readers might see his dismissal of religious arguments as blunt, his scholarly approach is undeniably thorough. Though it doesn't introduce completely new ideas, Sense and Goodness Without God stands out for making complex ideas accessible and engaging. This quality makes it a valuable resource for atheists and those curious about life’s big questions without relying on religion.
However, the book has what might be considered flaws. The sheer amount of information may overwhelm some readers, and Carrier’s political views might catch some off guard. People with strong religious beliefs may find his arguments challengingly provocative. But that’s what good philosophy is intended to do.
Sense and Goodness Without God offers an engaging look into metaphysical naturalism. If you’re not religious or are curious about life without religious beliefs, this book is a great choice. It delves into philosophy, science, and the essence of existence, with some humour to keep things light—well, lighter than they might have been. Highly recommended as long as you don’t mind a long read and don’t feel the need to agree with everything to value a book. I’ll be revisiting and rethinking this one for a long time to come.
The book’s main idea is that everything in existence—from tiny particles to the vast cosmos—can be explained through natural laws. Carrier believes there's no need for divine intervention to understand the universe or shape our morals. He looks at topics like free will, objective morality, and beauty from a scientific and rational viewpoint. This method provides an alternative to other philosophical works that might be too technical or filled with specialised terms.
Carrier's writing is clear and engaging, with humour and thought-provoking examples that make concepts easier to grasp. Each chapter focuses on a specific philosophical idea, making it easy for readers to find topics of interest. Some might find the wide range of subjects—from the multiverse theory to political philosophy—a bit overwhelming. It was like travelling on a high-speed train, standing on the roof, with wind rushing through my hair.
Carrier supports his arguments with plenty of research, citing philosophers, scientists, and theologians to create a well-rounded discussion. While some readers might see his dismissal of religious arguments as blunt, his scholarly approach is undeniably thorough. Though it doesn't introduce completely new ideas, Sense and Goodness Without God stands out for making complex ideas accessible and engaging. This quality makes it a valuable resource for atheists and those curious about life’s big questions without relying on religion.
However, the book has what might be considered flaws. The sheer amount of information may overwhelm some readers, and Carrier’s political views might catch some off guard. People with strong religious beliefs may find his arguments challengingly provocative. But that’s what good philosophy is intended to do.
Sense and Goodness Without God offers an engaging look into metaphysical naturalism. If you’re not religious or are curious about life without religious beliefs, this book is a great choice. It delves into philosophy, science, and the essence of existence, with some humour to keep things light—well, lighter than they might have been. Highly recommended as long as you don’t mind a long read and don’t feel the need to agree with everything to value a book. I’ll be revisiting and rethinking this one for a long time to come.
March 10, 2011
"Yet our very lives are a joyous occasion. By existing, and making of ourselves something good, we give ourselves and each other value, we create purpose and meaning. Neither existing by accident nor existing only a short while changes anything about the value of existing, the value of getting to be, to behold and to know the universe, to create something."
-- Richard Carrier
Richard Carrier's book "Sense and Goodness without God" is a fairly comprehensive presentation of a world view based on Metaphysical Naturalism. Even if you are an atheist, you will not agree with every point he makes and he isn't expecting agreement. The book could be thought of as a case study. Richard Carrier takes his own assumptions and shows how to validate and verify the assumptions as best as possible and from those assumptions create a world view.
He starts out with an overview of the purpose of his book and a brief biographical sketch. Next he launches into a discussion of how we know, starting with a very concept of what is language. He takes the reader through different methods of knowing and discusses there relative strengths and weaknesses of each method. Of course scientific investigation and logic is ranked highly, personal experience is less trusted, and faith the least trusted method of all.
After establishing method he takes the reader through a tour of the current state of scientific thought and his implications. Next he uses this basis to argue against positions that contradict the evidence. He basically points out that all investigation of supernatural claims when investigated using more trusted methods turn out to be incorrect.
Lastly he takes his foundation and builds on it. He presents a naturalistic case for morality, feelings of beauty, and how society should be structured.
High points. Richard carrier does well during his discussion of language and knowledge. Also his background as a historian shows when he is discussing historical material (especially ancient Rome). Also he makes a good case for morality and beauty.
Low points. When arguing against specific positions, I feel that he overstates his case. Typical argument would take an opponent's position and discuss its undesired implications. However the implications did not seem to logically follow from his opponent's position. His section on politics is very idealistic (no taxation, legislature determined by lottery, ..)
Overall I found the book engaging and I enjoyed reading it. It will challenge your thought and hopefully prod you in to developing your own world view.
-- Richard Carrier
Richard Carrier's book "Sense and Goodness without God" is a fairly comprehensive presentation of a world view based on Metaphysical Naturalism. Even if you are an atheist, you will not agree with every point he makes and he isn't expecting agreement. The book could be thought of as a case study. Richard Carrier takes his own assumptions and shows how to validate and verify the assumptions as best as possible and from those assumptions create a world view.
He starts out with an overview of the purpose of his book and a brief biographical sketch. Next he launches into a discussion of how we know, starting with a very concept of what is language. He takes the reader through different methods of knowing and discusses there relative strengths and weaknesses of each method. Of course scientific investigation and logic is ranked highly, personal experience is less trusted, and faith the least trusted method of all.
After establishing method he takes the reader through a tour of the current state of scientific thought and his implications. Next he uses this basis to argue against positions that contradict the evidence. He basically points out that all investigation of supernatural claims when investigated using more trusted methods turn out to be incorrect.
Lastly he takes his foundation and builds on it. He presents a naturalistic case for morality, feelings of beauty, and how society should be structured.
High points. Richard carrier does well during his discussion of language and knowledge. Also his background as a historian shows when he is discussing historical material (especially ancient Rome). Also he makes a good case for morality and beauty.
Low points. When arguing against specific positions, I feel that he overstates his case. Typical argument would take an opponent's position and discuss its undesired implications. However the implications did not seem to logically follow from his opponent's position. His section on politics is very idealistic (no taxation, legislature determined by lottery, ..)
Overall I found the book engaging and I enjoyed reading it. It will challenge your thought and hopefully prod you in to developing your own world view.
March 6, 2016
Since my rating of the book is higher than I expected, I'll point out the shortcomings I perceived (and why they mostly haven't turned out so bad).
* The author claims to be a reductionist but does not explicitly address the issues usually raised by people criticizing reductionism: austere realism a la Quine vs. "rainforest" structural realism; explanatory near-closure of higher levels of description in their (often explicit) contexts of application (e.g. geometry of solid bodies vs. Standard Model quantum field-theoretic explanations; multiple realizability claims in philosophy of mind). But he does implicitly admit a degree of non-reductionism by saying that special sciences can have specialized methodologies.
* He equates consciousness with self-awareness and awareness of self-knowledge; he doesn't discuss the full range of distinctions: phenomenal consciousness vs. access consciousness vs. self-awareness etc. He does implicitly rectify this by discussing qualia as distinct from self-awareness, and distinguishing sensation vs. perception.
* I wish the chapter on his moral realism was half of the book rather than one-sixth or so. I would really like more extensive research into relativism (which on internal moral realism grounds is the claim that moral facts hold in virtue of the specific human nature and thus are not binding for non-human beings) vs. universalism (which can be broadly understood as claiming that there are moral patterns binding -- at least to a degree -- a wide range of beings: persons for a low-complexity notion of personhood). Richard Carrier quite nicely exposes his theory in the book, but doesn't sufficiently defend it, for example I don't see how his arguments favor internal moral realism (relativized to human nature) vs. a variant of moral constructivism acknowledging human nature. Carrier delegates the procedural aspects of moral constructivism to the political theory. Actually, he splits moral normativity into ethics and politics in a non-standard (but quite elegant) way.
* The author claims to be a reductionist but does not explicitly address the issues usually raised by people criticizing reductionism: austere realism a la Quine vs. "rainforest" structural realism; explanatory near-closure of higher levels of description in their (often explicit) contexts of application (e.g. geometry of solid bodies vs. Standard Model quantum field-theoretic explanations; multiple realizability claims in philosophy of mind). But he does implicitly admit a degree of non-reductionism by saying that special sciences can have specialized methodologies.
* He equates consciousness with self-awareness and awareness of self-knowledge; he doesn't discuss the full range of distinctions: phenomenal consciousness vs. access consciousness vs. self-awareness etc. He does implicitly rectify this by discussing qualia as distinct from self-awareness, and distinguishing sensation vs. perception.
* I wish the chapter on his moral realism was half of the book rather than one-sixth or so. I would really like more extensive research into relativism (which on internal moral realism grounds is the claim that moral facts hold in virtue of the specific human nature and thus are not binding for non-human beings) vs. universalism (which can be broadly understood as claiming that there are moral patterns binding -- at least to a degree -- a wide range of beings: persons for a low-complexity notion of personhood). Richard Carrier quite nicely exposes his theory in the book, but doesn't sufficiently defend it, for example I don't see how his arguments favor internal moral realism (relativized to human nature) vs. a variant of moral constructivism acknowledging human nature. Carrier delegates the procedural aspects of moral constructivism to the political theory. Actually, he splits moral normativity into ethics and politics in a non-standard (but quite elegant) way.
April 25, 2019
Sophomoric. There are some really good spots, and quite a few weak parts. I think the thing that will stay with me most, which I don't think is Carrier's original thought, is that Reason requires Motivation for it to be applied to something, ie., Reason is a slave of Emotion, because we only apply reason when we want to. I think this addresses the problem of confirmation bias, and hit counting, etc. But how do you want to do what you don't want to do? Ie., how do you get past your biases and apply Reason unbiasedly? And how do you get someone else to apply Reason when they don't want to, especially when they're not aware that they don't want to? Humans are strange, and it makes me wonder how human-like intelligence could be implemented in AI. Would AI have to have motivated reasoning (a recognised cognitive bias)?
His section on beauty and simplicity was quite good. I hadn't heard a good discussion before now on what beauty is, scientifically, and Carrier had some decent thoughts. I might look up some of the books he mentioned in that section.
Anyway, I've read most of Carrier's other stuff and liked it. This, to me, just wasn't the book that will go down in history as the best representation of Metaphysical Naturalism.
His section on beauty and simplicity was quite good. I hadn't heard a good discussion before now on what beauty is, scientifically, and Carrier had some decent thoughts. I might look up some of the books he mentioned in that section.
Anyway, I've read most of Carrier's other stuff and liked it. This, to me, just wasn't the book that will go down in history as the best representation of Metaphysical Naturalism.
March 5, 2017
Three and a half stars. Almost all the content was highly redundant, since I've read widely on similar topics. In particular, Rationality: From AI to Zombies covered much of the same ground, often with more style (but perhaps less rigor). I prefer the latter book as a Grand Theory of Everything tome, especially since much of "Sense and Goodness Without God" is about... well, God, whose existence I didn't really need disproven for me.
That said, Carrier's introductory autobiography was very interesting (a Taoist who went from the Coast Guard to a Columbia PhD!), and I got halfway through the book before I ran into enough repetitive content that I had to start skimming. I can imagine recommending it as an introduction to humanist or naturalist philosophy to someone I don't think would get much out of Yudkowsky.
Best bits: The autobiography, musings on the role of philosophers, the discussion of free will's nonexistence, the reasonably charitable portrayal of mainstream Christian philosophers.
That said, Carrier's introductory autobiography was very interesting (a Taoist who went from the Coast Guard to a Columbia PhD!), and I got halfway through the book before I ran into enough repetitive content that I had to start skimming. I can imagine recommending it as an introduction to humanist or naturalist philosophy to someone I don't think would get much out of Yudkowsky.
Best bits: The autobiography, musings on the role of philosophers, the discussion of free will's nonexistence, the reasonably charitable portrayal of mainstream Christian philosophers.
August 28, 2018
بعد أن لم يجد الأجوبة التي يريدها، ولم يستطع الكتاب المقدس ملئ شغف الأسئلة والتفكير لديه، يقرر "ريتشار" ترك هذا الدين أو هذا الكتاب بعهدية القديم والجديد، والبحث عن شيء آخر للأجابة عن أسئلته الوجودية والكونية. حتى يجد نفسة في الديانة الطاوية، وذلك بعد أن قرأ كتاب لاوتسو، هذا الكتاب الذي يجمع بين الفلسفة والعقيدة.
في سن نضوجة وبعد مرورة بتحولات، دخول عالم الفلسفة، لا ديني، ثم. ملحد، يقدم لنا هذا الكتاب وهو عرض ودفاع عن الفلسفة. ويرد فيه كذلك على آراء المؤمنين حول مسألة وجود الخالق.
يعتقد بعض العلماء أن الفلسفة قد ماتت، وهذا خطأ، كيف يموت السؤال ؟ الفلسفة هي تساؤل وبحث عن الحكمة، فكثير من الأكتشافات لم تكن لتوجد لولا السؤال؟ وهي فضول كذلك، ومن المستحيل للفضول أن يتوقف.
يبدأ الكتاب من ابسط الأشياء التي ممكن ان يعرفها الإنسان، فهو لم يدخل إلى قلب المشكلة مباشرة، ولم يطرح مايريدة بوضوح بل تعمد الإطالة والشرح الذي اعتقد إنه لا فائدة منه !
الصراحة لولا بساطة طرح الكاتب لكانت الترجمة جريمة بحق الكتاب، وهي رغم ذلك سيئة !
افسدت الكثير من محتوى الكتاب.
عدد الصفحات ٦٠٠
December 28, 2015
Carrier has spent his entire adult life formulating the material that went into this book: a secular worldview based on logic and observable fact. I applaud his effort and conclusions. However, he seems a bit naive in thinking that most people are going to be inclined to undertake a similar lifetime journey of rational freethinking, questioning everything they hear and read, in order to logically construct their own personal philosophy from the ground up. Most just can't be bothered. And while I wish that his conception of a rational democracy could someday exist, I'm far too cynical to think that it ever will.
A dense work, but generally well written and understandable for a interested reader who is not an expert in philosophy. It needed better editing, however. The text has numerous typographical and spelling errors.
A dense work, but generally well written and understandable for a interested reader who is not an expert in philosophy. It needed better editing, however. The text has numerous typographical and spelling errors.
January 20, 2013
I've just started to re-read this book as I read it a few years back in dead tree format. I love the way this guy thinks and writes, and as I read it the first time I discovered that someone had managed to write the book I would have always wanted to write, but Richard Carrier has done a far superior and more coherent task than I could ever have done.
Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism
Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism
September 5, 2018
3.5 Stars...I first came across Carrier when I was in college and watched "The God Who Wasn't There" and at the time, I felt that Carrier came off as a smug jerk. But really, years later I realize that he's really a velvet glove atheist.
This book is as stated-- a defense of Metaphysical Naturalism. It's a textbook thorough and feeling book about what led the author (a Christian become Taoist/Confucianist become atheist become Metaphysical Naturalist).
The book does a good job explaining away the need of God as a first cause--and points to our univses propensity for Black Holes and advocates for some various multiverse theories.
The best meat of this book is the morality that can derived from logic and philosophy--without the moral arbiter of a godhead needed.
This book is as stated-- a defense of Metaphysical Naturalism. It's a textbook thorough and feeling book about what led the author (a Christian become Taoist/Confucianist become atheist become Metaphysical Naturalist).
The book does a good job explaining away the need of God as a first cause--and points to our univses propensity for Black Holes and advocates for some various multiverse theories.
The best meat of this book is the morality that can derived from logic and philosophy--without the moral arbiter of a godhead needed.
April 2, 2013
Richard Carrier attempts to do a lot with this book, which is namely to describe and defend his entire worldview: metaphysical naturalism. As such, he succeeds at the former and fails somewhat in the latter. Do to the sheer amount of subjects he covers, there were bound to be mistakes and his last two essays, natural beauty and natural politics, more rooted in opinion than science, are definitely his weakest points. Instead of painting a bibliography at the end of the book, he puts each reference at the end of its pertinent section, at times even listing opposing voices to his own. As such, this is also a good starting point to begin an investigation into many subjects.
November 21, 2007
Richard Carrier is a PhD student at Columbia University who wrote this simple, consistent and jargon-free book about free will, and the nature of the universe, arguing from a naturalistic perspective that there is only a physical world without God, gods or spirits, but that human beings can still live a life of
love, meaning, and joy. Even though I myself am a believer in God, this is my favorite book on naturalistic philosophy and ethics.
love, meaning, and joy. Even though I myself am a believer in God, this is my favorite book on naturalistic philosophy and ethics.
July 22, 2011
As an atheist, skeptic, and secularist, there was a lot I liked about this book. I do not have much experience with formal philosophy, so I considered this an interesting taste of the field, and I would like to read more about it.
However, the last few chapters seemed to go off the rails for me. I don't see why a discussion of the nature of beauty is relevant to this book, and the section on Richard's politics seemed more opinionated than reasoned.
However, the last few chapters seemed to go off the rails for me. I don't see why a discussion of the nature of beauty is relevant to this book, and the section on Richard's politics seemed more opinionated than reasoned.
August 25, 2011
Excellent. The book covers a broad array of topics and engages with the highest levels of current discourse.
Carrier is a skillful writer and manages to get the key points into each chapter. The bibliography, although I haven't had the chance to read much from it yet, looks like a good reference point for more in-depth research.
Carrier is a skillful writer and manages to get the key points into each chapter. The bibliography, although I haven't had the chance to read much from it yet, looks like a good reference point for more in-depth research.
July 6, 2018
Excellent analysis and apologetic arguments in favor of Metaphysical Naturalism and the possibility of morality apart from God. I am not about to become a Metaphysical Naturalist myself, but would readily recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Metaphysical Naturalism or views on the possible origins of morality.
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