Ted Honderich

Canadian-born British philosopher, best known for his writings on the philosophy of mind, free will and determinism, and political philosophy. Several years ago he attained some notoriety because of his outspoken defense of the Palestinian cause, going so far as to defend the morality of suicide bombings. Honderich is an atheist and has long been active in the British Humanist Association. His views on God are summarized in the following passage from his essay, Consolations Dropped from a Book, or The Philosophy of Life, or The Meaning Life Can Have.

"So does a particular life have a place in some large plan or dispensation, God�s, and therefore will the life go on after a death? The answer, say persons of my persuasion, is no. God, as he still needs to be understood for the purpose in question, and not just by religious fundamentalists, does not exist. That an all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful person or the like does not exist is proved by the state of the world and more particularly the fact of suffering. Of course there is the attempt of theologians to deal with this disproof by replying that God rightly gave us the elevation and joy of Free Will, of which the suffering is the result. This can seem not only footling but also unfeeling. It can seem worse. Try it in Auschwitz."

Ted Honderich has a website at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~uctytho/index.htm.