Books by Brights
Sense and Goodness Without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism
Author: Richard Carrier
ISBN-10: 1420802933
ISBN-13: 978-1420802933
To Purchase: Amazon US / Amazon UK
Description
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. Naturalism as 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.
Everything argued in the book is shown to relate to and support the central premise of naturalism. No human phenomenon remains unexplained. Most notable is Carrier's extensive defense of universal moral truth without appealing to supernatural objects or beings, his articulation of leading multiverse theories and why they are simpler and more plausible explanations of our present universe than any god theory, his summary of the case for mind-brain physicalism, his extensive defense of compatibilist free will, his discussion of the scientific study of beauty, and a philosophical defense of moderate politics. Although it is written for a lay audience, Sense and Goodness without God tackles the sophisticated attacks on naturalism by the likes of Plantinga, Moreland, and others.
About the Author
Richard Carrier is a philosopher and historian studying ancient science at Columbia University in New York, where he received a Masters degree and a Master of Philosophy in ancient history and is working on his Ph.D. He previously graduated Phi Beta Kappa at UC Berkeley. Mr. Carrier is also a professional writer, teacher, and speaker and translates four languages. His articles have been published in Biology & Philosophy, The History Teacher, German Studies Review, The Skeptical Inquirer, and the Encylopedia of the Ancient World. He is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard and served as Editor in Chief of the Secular Web for several years, where he has long been one of their most frequently read authors.
