The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

I’ve just finished reading The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, and I really enjoyed it. It is frequently amusing, although perhaps only to fellow atheists. It examines why people believe in God and argues against this belief. With me, he’s preaching to the choir, but it’s interesting to hear his take.

His logic is careful and thorough. I guess I only need to point that out for someone who’s unaware of his reputation. What you might not know is how well he can explain his point with an economy of words. That’s a skill I’ve practiced in my own writing, and not always to the level of Dawkins in this book.

If I have one criticism of his argument, it’s that it stops just short in several instances of being certain. Perhaps it’s a device for being charming or more convincing, but the title of Chapter 4 should have been “Why There Is No God”, not “Why There Almost Certainly Is No God”. Correctness and certainty are two different qualities. Sometimes we’re certain and incorrect. The great thing about the scientific approach is that when you’re wrong, you get to change your mind.

But don’t this this minor criticism dissuade you from this book. For me it was enjoyable and light, kind of like walking down a path you’ve traveled long ago. For others it will be challenging and enlightening. If the whole premise irritates you, you’re probably not ready to check it out.