Living Without God: New Directions for Atheists, Agnostics, Secularists, and the Undecided

253 Pages·2009·5.46 MB·English

by  Ronald Aronson

Living

God

New Directionsfor Atheists, Agnostics,

Secularists, and the Undecided

Ronald Aronson

COUNTER.POINT

BERKELEY
Copyright © 2008 by Ronald Aronson.

All rights reserved under International

and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Publication Data

Aronson, Ronald, 1 938

Living without God: new directions for atheists, agnostics,

secularists, and the undecided / Ronald Aronson.

p.cm.

I. Rationalism. 2. Atheism. 3- Atheism United States.

4. Conduct oflife. I. Title.

BL2747-A76 2008

2 I 1 '. 6 - dc22

20080 1 2035

1 -59376-1 60-0

978-1-59376-1 60-8

Cover design by David Bullen

Interior design by David Bullen

Printed in the United States of America

COUNTER.POINT

2 1 1 7 Fourth Street

Suite D

Berkeley. CA 94710

ww.counterpointpress.com

Distributed by Publishers Group West

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
To the memory

of my grandfather and father,

Abraham Aronson and Saul Aronson,

and to my grandchildren,

Hannah Aronson- Paxton

and Zachary Aronson- Paxton
Contents

Introduction: Turning Toward Something

3

After Progress 25
Gratitude 43
The World on Our Shoulders 65
Taking Responsibility for Ourselves 91
Choosing to Know 123
Dying Without God 151
Hope 187
Notes 213
Index 237
Acknowledgments

Inasmuch as gratitude is one of the main themes of this book,
these pages have special meaning for me. The idea for Living
Without God first occurred to me while I was a visiting professor
at DePaul University in Chicago. Since then many people have
cheered me on, given me ideas, sent me materials, and critically
and appreciatively read some or all of this book-and without
them it would not have been possible. I want to thank Jerry
Deneau, Julie Klein, Caroline Maun, Marsha Richmond, Roslyn
Schindler, Antonetta Johnson- Gardner, Carole Keller, Adrien
van den Hoven, Ernst Benjamin, Miriam Jerris, Greg Epstein,
Pamela Aronson, Nina Aronson, Marilyn Aronson, Barb House,
Matt Eshleman, Ken Waltzer, Jonathan Judaken, Barbara Ching,
David Brent, Raphael de Kadt, Rosalie Gold, Sam Rosenthall,
and Doug Ireland. It has been a great pleasure to work with
everyone at Counterpoint on the project, especially Jack Shoemaker, Trish Hoard, and Laura Mazer.
Portions of this book have appeared in The Common Review,
Boo/iforum, The philosophers' Magazine, The Toronto Star, The Nation,

and the journal of the society for Humanistic Judaism. I have
also presented my ideas to the Humanities Center, University
of Memphis; the" Philosophy Department, University of Toledo;
the Camus and History Conference, University of Florida;
North American Sartre Society; the Philosophy Department,
University of Windsor; the Adult Learning Institute at Oakland Community College; the Society of Active Retirees; and
the Humanities Center, Wayne State University; as well as to
my students in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. During
a sabbatical leave I was fortunate to be able to spend time as a
fellow at the Wayne State University Humanities Center,
directed by Walter Edwards.
In the summer of 2007 I worked on this book while in treatment for prostate cancer at the Weisberg Cancer Center of the
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. It was an appropriate
time to write chapter six, "Dying Without God." I want to thank
everyone on the caring staff at Weisberg, and especially the radiation therapists who listened to and commented on my latest
thoughts about death and dying.
I am especially grateful to those who have been closest to
this project from beginning to end, helping me to find myvoice,
give this book its shape, and see it through to conclusion: Phyllis
Aronson, Geri Thoma, Robert Deneweth, Danny Postel, Ira
Konigsberg, Walter Poznanski, Mark Shapiro, and Steve Golin.
Living

God