Nightmare before Christmas
When Robin Ince was invited onto TV to debate the "de-Christianisation" of Christmas, the flawed arguments of Vanessa Feltz and Stephen Green were enough to leave him foaming at the…
Rationalism, Atheism & Humanism
The “New Atheists” are responding to provocation, not mounting an arbitrary attack
On behalf of the New Atheists AC Grayling blasts back at Theodore Dalrymple
Ring master
High flying, visual acrobatics, visceral shocks – Russia’s greatest director used the tricks of the circus to captivate the crowds. Owen Hatherley takes a seat in Eisenstein’s big top
Check republics
The game of chess has its roots in rationalism. And, like the Enlightenment itself, argues Sally Feldman, it’s a force for both liberation and tyranny
Editorial: The A Word
When it comes to being cultish and dogmatic, religion is still the brand leader
Holy communion
New wave atheism is aggressively antagonistic to religion. But, argues Richard Norman, it’s more fruitful to find common ground
Thinker: Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach
Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach was the man who brought religion down to earth, says Nina Power
Quack science
Award-winning crime writer Christopher Brookmyre explains why his latest book is dedicated to Dawkins, Randi and the debunkers of pseudo-science
When worlds collide
Scientists must not indulge mysticism, argues Yves Gingras
Native son
175 years after the death of Scotland’s most celebrated novelist, Murray Pittock asks if Walter Scott was an enemy of the Enlightenment, or its champion