In this blog post, I will try to rethink and reevaluate the meaning of religious faith in the age of science and reason.
“When someone suffers from delusions, they are said to be mentally ill. When the majority suffers from delusions, it is called religion.”
This is a phrase that Richard Dawkins used Robert Persig’s words to describe religion in the introduction of his book. This sentence is more than a simple analogy, it succinctly encapsulates Dawkins’ critical view of religion. These two sentences brilliantly represent the author’s views on religion and summarize the book’s theme. The author boldly begins the book by stating that his goal is to persuade the reader to become an atheist by the end of the book. His argument is not just about denying religion, but is focused on showing that logical and scientific thinking can help humans to free themselves from belief in God. It is also interesting to see if his sharp arguments and interesting examples can convince you to become an atheist and if Richard Dawkins’ goal is achieved.
Richard Dawkins, the author of this book, is an ethologist who has advanced Darwin’s theory of evolution and argued that the behavior of living organisms is determined by genes. His books, such as “The Extended Phenotype” and “The Blind Watchmaker,” have become bestsellers, contributing to the public’s understanding of science, and he is revered as one of the greatest intellectuals of our time. He has not merely focused on academic achievements, but has been working with a sense of mission to widely disseminate scientific knowledge to the public. As an extreme atheist, he has actively participated in debates between religion and science, claiming that there is no God. This book summarizes his atheism and introduces the theories and arguments of various scholars, providing an opportunity to think about religion once again.
The arguments he uses to “influence” readers into atheism can be summarized into three main points. First, he scientifically proves the existence of God and strongly refutes the existence of God. He also shows how irrational and scientifically ridiculous various claims made by religion are and points out the contradictions of religion. Here, Dawkins emphasizes that the existence of God is a product of human anxiety and ignorance, and claims that religion suppresses human thought and hinders social progress. Finally, to overturn the common prejudice against atheists, it shows that one can be a moral human without religion. In the process, it examines the origin of religion in the context of the theory of evolution and explores the reasons why religion has developed in this way, and it also argues for a change in perception of religion, saying that children should not be labeled as religious.
To support these claims, he used interesting analogies with a sarcastic style. “Believing in the existence of God because it cannot be disproved is like believing that there is a teapot orbiting the sun because it cannot be proven that there is one,” is a witty example that makes you smile. He wrote this book to make philosophical content, which is not easily understood, more accessible to readers by using metaphors. His method of narration through metaphors is an advantage in that it is approachable to readers while not losing its logical depth. However, he sometimes uses too many metaphors, which test the reader’s concentration, rather than presenting his arguments strongly and immediately showing his evidence. You will need to read it carefully and several times to follow the flow of the argument. However, this challenge requires the reader to expand their thinking and allows them to better understand the logical structure that Dawkins presents. If you read his arguments with patience, you will be amazed by Dawkins’ sharp logic and persuasiveness.
The most interesting part is that he explains the origin of religion by applying his specialty, the theory of evolution and natural selection, to the cultural phenomenon of religion. First, he questions how humans came to accept the religious phenomenon that causes them to engage in exhausting and unnecessary fights that threaten their survival. This is not just a discussion of the origin of religious beliefs, but also an attempt to understand how religion came to take root in human society. The modern theory of evolution holds that groups with traits that are beneficial to the survival of the individual survive and are selected, and that each species evolves as the genes for those traits are passed on to the next generation. Dawkins’ argument is that religion is a byproduct derived from some attribute that is beneficial to human survival. As its properties were passed down through generations, the byproduct of religion, in other words, developed further, and the current phenomenon of the development of religion is a side effect of this. In this process, Dawkins suggests the possibility that religion has performed social and psychological functions, and explains that these functions have contributed to the continued survival of religion. And one of the things that has fueled its side effects is the “meme,” a unit of cultural inheritance. “Meme” is a concept introduced by Dawkins in “The Selfish Gene,” and natural selection can be applied not only to genes but also to replicators, or cultural phenomena. Religion is also said to have been endlessly replicated over the generations due to its sacred nature as a “meme.”
This is a very interesting and creative idea. It is an original argument in the context of the theory of evolution, which departs from the one-dimensional explanation that people generally think of when they think of the origin of religion. Nevertheless, Dawkins’ argument can be criticized for lacking a balanced discussion of the positive impact of religion on human life. However, he rarely mentioned the direct benefits that religion provides to people. The role of religion in providing mental stability may be the most important, if not the only, argument of the opposition. If he had considered the reasons why individuals rely on and devote themselves to religion in reality and refuted them, he could have convinced the general readers more. If he had addressed these points, Dawkins’ argument would have been more powerful. In particular, if he had explored in depth the positive psychological and social effects of religion on individuals and presented counterarguments, readers would have been able to accept his argument from a broader perspective.
Nevertheless, I would like to say that he has succeeded in at least half of his goal of “making readers atheists,” which he stated clearly in the introduction. His logic is very sharp and convincing in many parts, but I have to admit that it is somewhat limited in its ability to encompass the complex phenomenon of religion. As he said, this book would have provoked a backlash from devout religious people who have already been brainwashed and closed their ears to scientific logic. However, he seems to have succeeded in persuading at least those who were on the fence or who had not dared to realize that they were atheists. Dawkins has introduced readers to the atheist perspective through the discussions he has raised, and as a result, many people have succeeded in reconsidering their beliefs.
The author argued that a rational and reasonable intellectual should be able to question and criticize religion, and he succeeded in “evangelizing” potential atheists. How much his argument convinced the reader ultimately depends on the reader’s open mind and logical thinking. Even if it did not, we must acknowledge that his book has contributed to bringing atheism into the world. This book, in which the master of the theory of evolution boldly confronts and criticizes religion, has aroused the expectations of many people and become a hot topic. Furthermore, he discussed the impact of religious beliefs on society as a whole, going beyond the private sphere of the individual, thereby highlighting the importance of this issue. The significance of this book can be found in the application of scientific theories to promote a new perspective and criticism of religion.
Dawkins did not stop with this book, but continued to advocate the importance of atheism and scientific thinking through various writings and lectures. He warned that religion can act as an obstacle to scientific progress and explored the inevitable conflict between scientific truth and faith. Through these efforts, Dawkins established himself not only as a scientist but also as an intellectual who leads social debates.
Ultimately, Dawkins’ book reignited the debate surrounding religion and faith and urged readers to reflect on their existing beliefs once again. The greatest legacy of this book is the importance of critical thinking about all beliefs, rather than simple atheistic claims. Dawkins never forces the reader to reach an answer, but rather leads them to reach the conclusion through their own thought process. In this process, the reader will explore the conflict between faith and reason in depth and gain a firmer understanding of their own beliefs.
