What if Richard Dawkins really makes a deathbed conversion?
[ 5 minutes to read] Richard Dawkins has spent much of his life arguing that there is almost certainly no God….
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There is no “me”, only a network of neurons
[ 9 minutes to read] We wake up every morning with an extraordinarily convincing impression. There is someone inside our heads….
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Can religion turn gay people straight?
[ 8 minutes to read] Imagine discovering that you are gay and being informed that the solution is remarkably straightforward. You…
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Gender inequality: Innate or acquired?
[ 12 minutes to read] Few debates have generated more political heat than the origins of gender inequality. One side argues…
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The neuroscience of prayer
[ 9 minutes to read] For thousands of years, believers have regarded prayer as a conversation with God. They have viewed…
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Freethinkers in conservative political climates
[ 5 minutes to read] It is easy to be a freethinker in an environment where skepticism, scientific inquiry, and open…
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The evolution of Satan: A God’s servant and the Prince of evil
[ 20 minutes to read] You think you know him, of course. The red skin, the horns, the pitchfork, the tail….
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The curse of privilege: Why I don’t believe in free will
[ 19 minutes to read] Every successful person enjoys hearing that they deserve everything they have achieved. Society constantly celebrates hard…
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Why Democrats and Republicans abandon ideology
[ 5 minutes to read] Politics is supposed to be driven by ideas. Conservatives should defend conservative principles. Progressives should defend…
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Will smartphones one day listen to us all the time?
[ 5 minutes to read] Every few months, someone experiences the same unsettling coincidence. They discuss a holiday with a friend,…
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Inherited wealth, little innovation, lower taxes?
[ 22 minutes to read] Capitalism has always been sold as a system of competition. The idea appears straightforward. Anyone with…
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“Till we meet forever.” Can delusions become any deeper?
[ 3 minutes to read] “Till we meet forever.” People say it at funerals with complete sincerity. They believe they will…
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It is natural: Should we bring back infanticide?
[ 12 minutes to read] “It is perfectly natural.” Few arguments sound more convincing. People invoke nature to defend traditional gender…
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The Death of the Ideal: Materialism and the Loss of Spiritual Meaning
[ 1 minute to read] Modern archaeology has devoted enormous effort to uncovering physical proof of biblical narratives, from the search…
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The greatest myths about LGBTQIA—and how to combat them
[ 5 minutes to read] Beliefs do not survive because they are true. They survive because they are simple, repeated, and…
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Death to all pedophiles? Underlying causes
[ 3 minutes to read] “Death to all pedophiles.” The sentence hits hard. It feels morally clear, it feels justified. It…
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Christianity without Christ: What survives and what vanishes?
[ 5 minutes to read] Christianity rests on a historical claim. A person existed. Events happened. Teachings emerged from that reality….
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Does religion improve morality? From ancient tribes to today
[ 4 minutes to read] People repeat a simple idea. Religion teaches morality. Therefore, religion makes people better. At first glance,…
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How humans evolved to believe lies
[ 6 minutes to read] Humans like to imagine themselves as rational creatures. Science celebrates this idea. Universities reinforce it. Enlightenment…
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American religiousness: Decent or fanaticism?
[ 9 minutes to read] At first, religion in America looks normal. You see churches, you hear references to God. You…
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How evolution made humans worship hierarchy
[ 6 minutes to read] Modern societies loudly celebrate equality. Constitutions promise it. Politicians repeat it in speeches. Schools present it…
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How freethinking challenges social norms
[ 5 minutes to read] very enduring society depends on shared assumptions. Yet every enduring society also evolves because someone eventually…
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The Bible cannot withstand scrutiny: The invention of Jesus
[ 5 minutes to read] The Bible claims authority. It claims revelation. It claims moral and metaphysical finality. Yet historical method…
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Human rights violations in the name of religion: Second part
[ 4 minutes to read] Human rights are built on the idea that every human being possesses inherent dignity regardless of…
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How US atheist education should look like
[ 6 minutes to read] Atheist education does not mean teaching disbelief as a new dogma. It means teaching how to…
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The feeling of being stupid and knowing better
[ 3 minutes to read] When I walk through my hometown of Jičín and pass its churches, I do not feel…
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Why humans invent eternity: Different afterlives, one psychology
[ 6 minutes to read] Human beings fear death more than anything else. The body rejects it. The mind rejects it…
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Freethought and the neuroscience of belief
[ 5 minutes to read] Freethought begins in the brain. It does not start with atheism, philosophy, or rebellion. It starts…
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The Third World doesn’t respect Human Rights and it is rising
[ 3 minutes to read] The developing world is rising — in population, power, and ambition. Yet it is not rising…
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We want state atheism, but not the Chinese one
[ 6 minutes to read] Humanity stands between two worlds. One still kneels before invisible gods, while the other slowly rises…
