The Last Superstition

If there is one book I wish everybody would read, it is Edward Feser's The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism. It is about much more than the annoying zit on the face of modernity known as the "new atheism." It is actually a history of Western philosophy that explains how some a movement as intellecually vacuous as the "new atheism" could become so popular in our society.

This book shows how it is that most of what are usually known as "the problems of philosophy" are actually the result of modern philosophers' rejection of the classical synthesis of philosophy that developed from the early church fathers through Augustine to Aquinas. It shows that the problem of atheism is a result of nihilistic tendencies built into the founding assumptions of modern philosophy and how classical philosophy had already provided answers to these problems.

If you read this book, you will not be able to take modern and postmodern philosophy seriously again as superior to ancient and medieval philosophy. Which, of course, is a good reason to avoid books like this one if you do not wish to be convinced of the truth of Christianity. As C. S. Lewis said, a young atheist cannot be too careful in his choice of reading material. But if you don't fear the truth and you have an open mind, read this book.

A terrific, short precis of the book has been published in the Montreal Review here.