51-2520 Religion and Its Critics: From t he Classics to the New Atheists

Recently, the ‘New Atheists’ have leveled a variety of criticisms against religion, regarding the (purported) falsity of its claims, the ways in which it shapes people and citizens, and the sorts of political problems it occasions. But these arguments are not new-indeed, they go back several hundred years (further, in some cases). In this class, we will look at some of the most important articulations of these criticisms of religion in the modern period, as well as some of the defenses of religion. We will contextualize these ideas with respect to social and political developments, and then in turn use them to reconsider the recent claims of the New Atheists.

3 Credits
HU