Against Religion, Wars, and States

The Case for Enlightenment Atheism, Just War Pacifism, and Liberal-Democratic Anarchism

Inbunden, Engelska, 2013

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In Against Religion, Wars, and States: The Case for Enlightenment Atheism, Just War Pacifism, and Liberal-Democratic Anarchism, Andrew Fiala argues that, societally, we must radically redefine our goals. A renewed focus on global justice, a heightened criticism of religion and a fuller embrace of enlightened humanism and the sciences are just some of the ways in which we can begin to address some of the problems endemic to our society, and ultimately bring about more lasting peace. Fiala argues both theoretically and empirically, moving from analyses of theology, ethics and political philosophy to case studies and data mined from these respective disciplines, and from the fallout of recent world events involving all three. Fiala attempts to wean us off of our deferral to the oppressive forces that spark movements like Occupy, and the Arab Spring, forces that manifest themselves in the brutal drug wars along our borders, and in the currently fractious and bigoted rhetoric of some of our most powerful political and religious leaders. Against Religion, Wars, and States provides a provocative, unified, and revolutionary critical theory for all who are skeptical of the religious, political, and military powers that be, and points the way towards a more peaceful, just and reasoned future.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2013-08-15
Mått159 x 237 x 21 mm
Vikt531 g
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor300
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing Plc
ISBN9781442223066

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PrefaceChapter 1: Against Religions, Wars, and States Argument and MethodCivilization, Authority, and BullshitCosts and Benefits: A Preliminary AccountConclusionChapter 2: Five Principles of Criticism Methodological ConsiderationsThe Individual Liberty PrincipleThe Caring Community PrincipleThe Skeptical PrincipleThe Peace PrincipleThe Cosmopolitan PrinciplesConclusionChapter 3: Agnosticism and AtheismSkepticism about Religion Individual Liberty and ReligionGenuine Community, Universal Justice, and PeaceConclusionChapter 4: Religion, The Military, and the Secular ChallengeThe Unholy Conjunction of Religion, Politics, and Violence Toward a More Secular UnionThank God for the First Amendment Science and Religion in the Public SphereConclusionChapter 5: Religion, The Family, and Criminal JusticeReligion and Demography Women and ChildrenViolence Against ChildrenFree Will and Criminal JusticeConclusionChapter 6: Skeptical PacifismThe Peace PrincipleAgnosticism and The Just War TraditionMilitary Service, The Individual, and The Community Atheism, Cosmopolitanism, and PacifismConclusionChapter 7: The War-System, Profit, and the Failure of Just War Ethics Standing Armies and Spending PrioritiesThe War Racket and Just War TheoryA Case Study from the Eastern Mediterranean Defense Contractor ProfitsArms Dealers, Power, Politics, and the Revolving DoorGlobal Profits and Unjust Arms DealsConclusionChapter 8: One-Sided Wars: Torture, Nukes, Religion, and Collective Narcissism Good Guys and Bad GuysReligion and the War on TerrorNuclear Madness Humanitarian InterventionsConclusionChapter 9: Social Contract Anarchism and Cosmopolitan DemocracyAgainst the Organic Platonic State Skepticism and the Liberal Social Contract TheoryIndividual Liberty, Nation-States, and Genuine CommunitiesThe Cosmopolitan Principle and The Peace Principle ConclusionChapter 10: Civil Religion, Voting, and OligarchyPatriotism, Civil Religion, and Military ServiceVoting, Consent, and Political PowerThe Money ProblemA Constitutional Crisis? OligarchyGetting Away with MurderConclusionChapter 11: State Violence, the Prison-Industrial Complex, and ImmigrationCivilization and State Violence Restorative Justice and Police BrutalityDrug War ProfitsDeterring CrimeConvicting the InnocentDefining Crime and Defending PunishmentThe Prison-Industrial ComplexConclusionChapter 12: ConclusionBibliography

Andrew Fiala’s book is a fascinating argumentative essay on political philosophy, whose author boldly undertakes the colossal task of convincing his readers that humanity should abandon the religious, military and state institutions it has known since the dawn of its history. Basing on rational scepticism and humanistic morality, Fiala severely criticises the present status quo as deeply irrational, immoral and unjust, and distinctly places himself on the side of atheism, pacifism and anarchism. Despite certain theoretical difficulties, this book is an important, interesting and defiant voice in the ongoing debate on humanity’s political social troubles in the globalized reality of the 21st century.