دانلود کتاب Atheism and alienation : a study of the philosophical sources of contemporary atheism

Preface
THE affirmation of God is undoubtedly one of the most
noteworthy of human achievements. In its various historical
expressions it speaks profoundly of man's appraisal of his
own condition--of his perfection and weakness, of his ideals
and failures, of his hopes and fears. It symbolises in a most
striking fashion his endeavour to make sense both of his
aspirations and of his limitations.
However, scarcely less remarkable an achievement is
man's repudiation of this affirmation of God. Atheism in its
various forms, no less than theism, is a most significant
expression of man's representation of himself to himself.
Indeed, inasmuch as it proposes itself as a post-theistic
phenomenon, it professes to convey a more reflective and
authentic image of man than that portrayed in any version
of theism.
Tills phenomenon of atheism can be considered from a
variety of viewpoints, each characterised by its own principles
and aims. Thus a theologian, a psychologist, a
sociologist and a political economist would each advance
different, though not necessarily incompatible, expositions
of the significance of atheism. It is not the purpose of this
study to present a survey of such particular approaches. It
aims rather to provide a more basic account of the general
significance of contemporary atheism through an elucidation
of its philosophical evolution. In effect, it seeks to trace
the philosophical milestones in the development of contemporary
atheism from its origins in modern thought to the
present day.
The universally acknowledged crucial significance of the
Cartesian cogito in the formation of modern self-understanding
is a guiding motif of the study. It seeks to show how
the viewpoint of the cogito, reinforced by the impact of
modern science, has inspired the philosophical itinerary in
the course of which the traditional conviction that the
alienated man is the man who does not believe in God has
given way to the view that belief in God is a profound
source of human alienation. This theme is illustrated in its
development in the philosophies of Kant, Hegel, Feuer bach
and Marx, and in its contemporary expression in positivistic
Naturalism and Existentialism.
What emerges in the course of this study is the elaboration
of a humanism of liberty which calls in question the possibility
of the coexistence of finite and infinite being-or,
more concretely, the coexistence of man and God. How
can the ever more impressive claims of human subjectivity
to be an irreducible source of a world of meaning and value
be rendered compatible with the claims involved in the
theistic conception of God as absolute creator of all finite
being? The story of the development of contemporary
atheism is unfolded as a progressive repudiation not only of
a theistic absolute but also of every secular substitute
such as the absolute spirit of Hegel, the social absolute of
Feuerbach and Marx, or the scientific absolutism of
Positivism.
Inevitably a work of this scope must be selective in its
treatment of themes and sources. Thus, even within its
limited horizon of modern and contemporary European
thought, it does not consider explicitly many philosophers
who have elaborated important reflections on the problem
of God. It seeks simply to mediate insight, through certain
key philosophical illustrations, into the basic themes which
have animated the development of contemporary atheism.
In portraying this development, it strives for simplicity of
expression without lapsing into superficiality of presentation.
Arising out of the account of this development, certain
positive suggestions concerning the problem of God today
are advanced in the final chapter.
This book originated from a series of lectures to undergraduate
students of philosophy. To facilitate such readers'
further investigation of the topics discussed, references are,
where possible, to standard English language versions of
works cited. I would like to thank my colleagues in the
Faculty of Philosophy of University College, Dublin, whose
ideas and interest have been of value to me in writing this
book, especially Professor J. Horgan, Dr D. Connell, Dr
S. Samay, Dr P. Pettit and Mr D. Turner. I wish also to
acknowledge my debt to the editors of Philosophical Studies,
Atlantis, and Studies, in which some of the material of
chapters 3-5 first appeared. Finally, I would like to thank
my wife Frances for providing the domestic ambiance and
practical encouragement which did so much to make the
whole enterprise possible.
January, 1971. PATRICK MASTERSON.


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