Discusses the ideas and impact of 27 atheists, agnostics, and secularists whose ideas have shaped society over the last 200 years.In the opinion of many critics and philosophers, we are entering an age of atheism marked by the waning of Christian fundamentalism and the flourishing of secular thought. Through alphabetically arranged entries written by expert contributors, this book profiles 27 iconic figures of unbelief whose ideas have shaped American society over the last 200 years. Included are entries on influential figures of the past, such as Albert Einstein and Voltaire, as well as on such contemporary figures as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of each person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and illuminating quotations, and cites works for further reading. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students in social studies and history classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the ideas central to the American separation of Church and State and to many of the political debates at the heart of society today.Each entry discusses the ideas and lasting significance of the person or group, provides sidebars of interesting information and quotations, and closes with a list of works for further reading. The volume ends with a selected, general bibliography. Students in history and social studies classes will welcome this reference as a guide to the American separation of Church and State and to the ideas central to contemporary political debates.

Discusses the ideas and impact of 27 atheists, agnostics, and secularists whose ideas have shaped society over the last 200 years.

PrefaceAyaan Hirsi Ali, Jenin YounesCharles Bradlaugh, David TribeRichard Dawkins, Donald R. BurlesonDaniel C. Dennett, Richard GillilanJohn Dewey, John ShookAlbert Einstein, Mauro MurziThe Existentialists, Max DeutscherThe Founding Fathers, Edd DoerrSigmund Freud, Kirk BingamanSam Harris, Jenin YounesThomas Henry Huxley, Sherrie LyonsRobert G. Ingersoll, Tom FlynnPaul Kurtz, Bill CookeCorliss Lamont, Bill CookeH. P. Lovecraft, Robert M. PriceH. L. Mencken, S. T. JoshiJohn Stuart Mill, S. T. JoshiKai Nielsen, Bla Szabados and Andrew LuggFriedrich Nietzsche, Weaver SantanielloMadalyn Murray OHair, Frank R. ZindlerThe Philosophes, Wilda AndersonBertrand Russell, Keith M. ParsonsCarl Sagan, John ShookLeslie Stephen, S. T. JoshiMark Twain, Richard BleilerGore Vidal, S. T. JoshiVoltaire, Jean-Claude PeckerGeneral BibliographyAbout the Contributors