David G. McAfee

Brilliant! William Lane Craig is one of the most prominent Christian apologists. And because he has a philosophical background, his arguments supporting Christianity are complex and it is easy to be persuaded by them because they sound so convincing. But James Fodor, in this book, provides a very detailed analysis of the arguments presented by Craig in his writings and public speeches and debates and shows how they don't stand up to careful critique. A bit of a warning, though: the first few chapters of the book are hard going as the philosophical concepts are pretty darn hard to understand! But they do show, perhaps, how desperate Craig is to defend his point of view and Fodor, being the meticulous philosopher and thinker he obviously is, wades his way through these ideas. That aside, for anyone interested in Christian apologetics, and particularly in the arguments that William Lane Craig is well known for, this is a must-read.… (mehr)

This is one of those books that makes me think that I have handed out five stars too freely to other books. I am generally not too interested in philosophy, but I think this is a gem of broad study, careful reasoning, and clear writing. That said, I will have to read this at least once more to feel satisfied that I understand it.

I will say that I was unsuccessfully raised as a Protestant Christian, and I have since become an atheist. I am an atheist for much simpler reasons than Craig and Fodor discuss, but I am glad to have a more thorough understanding of more complex issues.

Fodor states that: "This book does not aim to convert Christians to atheism, or to undermine faith in God." and the book ends with: "It is my hope that this book has been of use to those seeking what to believe, how to think critically, and the best place to put their trust." He focuses on discussing the scientific and philosophical arguments that Craig makes. The book is organized around specific arguments, e.g., "The Kalam Cosmological Argument," "If the Universe had a Cause, that Cause Must be Personal." He deals with the nature of time (tensed vs untensed); I found it helpful to think of the books involving time travel that I have read: that is pretty much tenseless time. Added later: I'm reading it a second time; the more I understand infinity, the more mind-blowing it becomes.

Fodor has obviously read broadly in the relevant philosophical literature, and he cites a number of sources, but the books is much more than just a compilation of others' work. I am somewhat at a loss for words to communicate how exciting and insightful I found this book, and it has certainly broadened my knowledge. I'm not even going to archive it as I normally do books that I have finished, because I know I'll read it again soon. I believe that freethinkers will be very interested, as will religious people who think deeply about their beliefs.

A personal note, especially given the #MeToo movement and various church scandals. Craig keep using rape as an example of something that is obviously and objectively, morally wrong. I don't know whether to congratulate him for the thought, or laugh bitterly. A very large portion of humanity obviously does not think so, and church leaders have certainly made a poor showing. If rape is wrong, it apparently is only a peccadillo if carried out by one's relatives, favorite athletes, or members of hierarchies. After all, one wouldn't want to ruin the life of a promising young man, or an accomplished older man, over a little thing like that./s

So I hope that in the future, Craig will be proven right, but there is obviously a long way to go.… (mehr)

An excellent read which should be on everyone’s bookshelf (physical or virtual!). McAfee puts things plainly and has clearly been thinking about the issue of good thinking for a long time. The book is not just a catalogue of criticism of poor thinking; there is some excellent discussion of what good thinking is, the need for it, and how to do it. The issues explored in depth are contemporary and show just how easy it is for any of us to be taken in by all sorts of non-evidenced ideas and beliefs. Highly recommended.… (mehr)