New book explores difference – and the surprising one

A recently published book argues that a large part of the public wrongly views atheist scholars as immoral elitist who do not care about the public good.

Misconceptions and distrust of science and scientists, including atheists, have been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the book’s authors, Eileen Howard Eklund, Herbert S. Autry Chair in Social Sciences, Professor of Sociology and Director of Religion. and the Public Life Program at Rice University and David Johnson, associate professor of higher education at Georgia State University.

in a “Types of atheism in scienceEcklund and Johnson rely on the most comprehensive study of atheist scientists ever. They surveyed 1,293 atheist scientists in the United States and the United Kingdom over a five-year period and conducted in-depth interviews with 81 of these people. Atheist scientists are dishonest, arrogant, selfish and inaccurate.

It turns out that the “new atheism” espoused by the likes of Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and other eminent scholars runs counter to the beliefs of most atheist scholars.

“Atheist scholars and religious communities, for example, certainly disagree on many things, but we’ve found that they have a lot more in common than they think they have in common,” Ecklund said. “Both groups tend to experience a fascination with the world, a sense of meaning and purpose, and a desire to explain something greater than themselves.”

For example, some atheist scholars identify themselves as “culturally religious,” which Eklund and Johnson define as being heavily involved in religious traditions Even if they are committed atheists. These scholars often have a devout spouse or partner and their children attend religious services.

“These individuals expressed that the moral structures of religion are important for living well and even for the application of scientific work,” Eklund said. “I think it’s really interesting and important to know that some of these atheist scholars can be active participants in it. religious communities. “

The authors said that many of the scientists they interviewed were raised on religious grounds and that bad experiences, including parents who rejected their curiosity about science, prompted them to abandon their beliefs.

Other types of atheism The authors who found in their study were both modern atheism (where people have no religious views and do not participate in religious traditions, but are not anti-religious or religious) and spiritual atheism (where spirituality is important, often when it comes to research).

Ecklund and Johnson argue that improving the public perception of scientists requires discovering the true story of who atheist scholars.

“While the pandemic continues to devastate the world’s population, it has never been more important than improving the relationship between the public Sciences Eklund said.

To the new atheists, the book concludes: “Now it is our responsibility to replace their discourse with reality.”