In praise of … Alain de Botton
The philosopher's plan for secular temples may be a flop, but there is space for creative conversation about the purpose of religionReligion without faith may seem about as pointless as non-alcoholic beer, but Alain de Botton's latest project to build ...
Do atheists need a temple? | Poll
The philosopher and writer Alain de Botton wants to build a £1m temple in the city of London to celebrate life on earth. Do you think atheists need their own temple?
Alain de Botton reveals plans for ‘temple to atheism’ in heart of London
Writer wants to build tower to celebrate life on earth as an antidote to Richard Dawkins' 'destructive' approach to atheismPlans to build a £1m "temple for atheists" among the international banks and medieval church spires of the City of London have s...
Alain de Botton’s ‘temples for atheists’ have a foundational flaw
Aren't believers just as likely to appreciate a shrine to perspective? And doesn't the Large Hadron Collider qualify as a rationalist temple? De Botton's doctrine feels a trifle holyPerhaps emboldened by the success of the atheist bus, or his own Livin...
Religion for Atheists by Alain de Botton – review
Alain de Botton's attempt to encourage secular society to steal religion's most fruitful ideas is admirable but ultimately hollowBoth friends and foes of the Church of England might think that the title of this book, Religion for Atheists, is one we've...
Christopher Hitchens: one man’s service in the war against delusion
Last October, Christopher Hitchens received the Atheist Alliance of America's Richard Dawkins award. This is an edited version of his acceptance speechWell, I'm overwhelmed ladies and gentlemen, and I did promise Richard [Dawkins, who presented his epo...
Christopher Hitchens dies aged 62
Celebrated journalist, writer and unshakeable secularist has died from complications of oesophageal cancerA contrarian in life, the writer Christopher Hitchens united the world in death, with friends, colleagues and even debating opponents joining to c...
Hitchens – inspirational and infuriating
Christopher Hitchens managed to be both inspirational and infuriating company. Inspirational because of his wit and his ability in discussions to adopt a counter-intuitive position and argue it with vigour even when it became obvious he believed the op...
Christopher Hitchens obituary
Maverick, polemical journalist whose career was a rollercoaster of love and loathingFor most of his career, Christopher Hitchens, who has died of oesophageal cancer aged 62, was the left's biggest journalistic star, writing and broadcasting with wit,...
Why the New Atheism is a boys’ club | Victoria Bekiempis
Is it that female intellectuals are less rational and contrarian than male secularists? Or just that society prefers lionising men?Women are God-fearing and don't challenge institutions. Men, on the other hand, are skeptical and rational, and go out of...
Atheism’s aesthetic of enchantment
Two centuries on, it is timely to recall Shelley's argument for the non-existence of GodAs an Oxford undergraduate in the early 19th century, Percy Bysshe Shelley developed an argument for the non-existence of God. He entitled it The Necessity of Athei...
Alain de Botton’s atheist temple is a nice idea, but a defunct one | John Gray