Atheism in 5 minutes

Atheism in 5 minutes edited by Teemu Taira (Equinox 2022)

What can one learn about atheism in five minutes? This may depend on what you want to know, what question you ask and who answers the question. In Atheism in 5 minutes, both Finnish and international researchers with expertise in the study of atheism provide answers to 64 questions. It takes about five minutes to read each answer and the questions are divided into different categories. Under the first category of the book – conceptual and historical issues – questions such as what is meant by atheism and how can one study atheism are answered. Under the category of society, politics and media, answers are given, among other things, to the question how it is that some societies are more atheistic than others and whether atheism promote peace. Questions raised under the category of beliefs, values and practices are whether children are born atheists and how atheists deal with mortality. Finally, the book also looks ahead and ponders what the future holds for atheism. Tackling atheism with the help of a large number of questions is an interesting and informative approach. As a reader, you not only get answers to questions you may have thought of yourself, but also to questions you may never have thought of asking. The book also offers many tips on further reading. Atheism in 5 minutes is thus excellently suited for anyone who wants to get a broad introduction to the topic of atheism. The book is part of Equinox ‘Religion in 5 minutes’-series where different religious traditions in both the present and the past are addressed. All books published in the series can be borrowed from the Donner Institute library.