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Why an Atheist Studies Religion | Michael Tooley

2026-07-07 Education
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Closer To Truth
Closer To Truth
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Description

*Why would an atheist devote a lifetime to philosophy of religion?* Michael Tooley explains why religious beliefs deserve critical examination, why he thinks many arguments for God fail to establish a perfectly good deity, and how religious experience, fine-tuning, and the problem of evil have shaped his philosophical work over decades. 0:00 Why an Atheist Focused on Philosophy of Religion 4:46 Arguments for God and the Problem of Goodness 15:50 Fine-Tuning, Cosmology, and Theistic Arguments 20:51 Religious Experience and Mysticism 34:09 From Logical Positivism to Arguments From Evil 40:35 The Problem of Evil Revisited *Michael Tooley* is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. He received a Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence in Research Award in 1998 for his book _Time, Tense, and Causation,_ and is the author of the new book _Causation: A Defense of a Non-Reductionist Approach_ (Oxford, 2026). *More from Michael Tooley on Closer To Truth:* * Closer To Truth: The Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJr3pJl27pLLkP0kHQKL9nZh35UkgkR_ * What Things Really Exist? - CTT Interview Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJr3pJl27pL23EJxiJggorKB66CHSAU- * Closer To Truth contributors: https://closertotruth.com/contributor/michael-tooley/ *Subscribe to Closer To Truth:* https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV *Join the Community:* * Membership (5,000+ videos): https://closertotruth.com/register/ * Audio Podcast: https://closertotruth.podbean.com * Support the Show: https://closertotruth.com/donate/ * Official Merchandise: https://www.bonfire.com/store/closertotruth/ *Follow Us:* * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CloserToTruthTV/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/closertotruth/ * X: https://x.com/CloserToTruth Closer To Truth, created and hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn, presents the world's greatest thinkers exploring humanity's deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence and sentience. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers. #CloserToTruth #Meaning #MichaelTooley #PhilosophyOfReligion #ProblemOfEvil

Top Comments (10)

@mickmccrory8534 2026-07-07

2 Atheists knocked on my door. They didn't want anything.

7
@TartempionLampion 2026-07-08

Religions mostly make people nasty and cruel...

4
@CloserToTruthTV 2026-06-22

*Michael Tooley argues that many traditional arguments for God fail to establish the kind of deity believers intend and that religious experiences require careful interpretation.* Do religious arguments and experiences point toward God—or are they better explained in other ways?

2 1 replies
@keithwalmsley1830 2026-07-08

I'm an atheist, thank God!

1
@shinertaz 2026-07-07

I can only go by my own perspective through my own experience, what other May think has no concern with me

1
@thomasridley8675 2026-07-08

Athiests reject the idea of theological certainty. Theists reject the idea of theological certainty... unless its their theological certainty. Religions reject the ideas of social equality, individuality, the freedom religion and speech. As well as the freedom of thought.

1
@md.noorulkarim5542 2026-07-10

Religious belief is one’s inner experience or cognitive understanding. It may not be articulated by logical arguments. Logic may not be only tool to conceive the absolute truth.

0
@Trip_Ts 2026-07-07

They are not; they are done making up their minds, just trying to convince people to be like them, and so do theist people, although agnostics are more of a theorizer, just trying to figure out what to believe, like me but not exactly sure what ya call it tho, maybe weak agnostics.

0
@BigFred-s3b 2026-07-10

Yes - I am less happy knowing there are people making decisions concerning my life (voters, Political leaders) based on faith.

0
@patrowan7206 2026-07-08

Kuhn arguing that Tooley's "friendly approach" is actually duplicitous (10:15) is itself curious and slightly provocative.

0

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