Dan Barker

Scholarly editions in print have long been central to literary studies, produced according to well-established methodologies. In recent decades, digital scholarly editions have gained prominence, with some publishers digitising existing print editions and others creating born-digital resources. The shift from print to digital demands not only new editorial approaches but also sustained attention to issues of technical and financial sustainability – key concerns for resources of reference. The challenge is not merely to replicate print editions in digital form but to transcend their limitations and fully exploit the affordances of the digital medium. This essay examines these issues by focussing on one case-study: the creation of the digital Oxford University Voltaire, launched in 2026, which builds upon the Complete Works of Voltaire (205 vols, 1968–2022). By tracing the transition from print to digital, the authors aim to highlight both the opportunities and complexities inherent in scholarly editing today.

In a quiet and unassuming way, Contraduction is utterly brilliant. Every page has a thought so deep and unexpected that it stops you in your tracks, as you not only realize, "That's a different, really interesting way to think about the world, exactly the opposite of how I normally view things" but also, "And it is absolutely equally valid (and enriching) to adopt this opposite way of thinking." I loved this book. - Robert Sapolsky, author of The Blank Slate and Determined. An ingenious word for an invaluable concept. Sharp, clear, and timely. - Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of The Blank Slate and Rationality Both a delightful read and a penetrating argument: Barker has invented an invaluable new concept, and puts it to work with clarity, wit, and above all conclusiveness. A must-have book - A. C. Grayling, author of The History of Philosophy and The God Argument I am completely down with the concept of contraduction. It fills a need. False pattern recognitions pose a real danger to our survival. Well done - Ann Druyan, author (with Carl Sagan) of Cosmos, Contact, and Demon Haunted World I love it when brilliant ideas are conveyed clearly and soundly. That's why I love this book. Dan Barker has provided a much-needed explication of a common fallacy that needs to be understood and rebutted. It is an engaging, enlightening, and insightful book.-Phil Zuckerman, author of Society Without God and What it Means to be Moral With Contraduction, Dan Barker gives us a new word-and a new way of looking at things. I thoroughly enjoyed this So much to think about-and it made me laugh. What else could I ask for? - Kate Cohen, contributing columnist for the Washington Post and author of We of Little Faith I love how Dan Barker offers us a new word to help us understand how to think rationally in a fun, simple way. I will never look at my reflection in the mirror the same - Bailey Harris, author of My Name is Stardust Barker has really created something mega with this book. WOW, what an absolutely awesome mind bender mind fuck] contraductions are, while at the same time seeming very obvious. I give Contraduction 50 hell-yeahs fuck-yeahs ] (outta 50). - Zeke Piestrup, director of Apocalypse Later and Satan's Guide to the Bible Dan Barker's approach reminds me of Douglas Adams' famous Intelligent Design analogy about the rain puddle that "fits me rather neatly." A simple shift of perspective can be invaluable in our understanding, and Dan's fresh angle gives us plenty to consider. Simply put, I've never read anything quite like Contraduction, and that's a good thing. - Seth Andrews, Author of Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason Contraduction is a delight and lights the way through complexity. Pound for pound, Dan Barker's best book. - Ed Buckner, Author (with Michael Buckner) of In Freedom We Trust: An Atheist Guide to Religious Liberty A clarifying vision of the most baffling aspects of reality: from the simplest, such as our reflection in a mirror, to the most complex, such as time, evolution or the very existence of life. - Manel Salido, founder of "Raz n o fe" and the author of Fascinaos : Be Fascinated ] Una respuesta a las grandes preguntas.

What words come to mind when we think of God? Merciful? Just? Compassionate? In fact, the Bible lays out God’s primary qualities clearly: jealous, petty, unforgiving, bloodthirsty, vindictive—and worse! Originally conceived as a joint presentation between influential thinker and bestselling author Richard Dawkins and former evangelical preacher Dan Barker, this unique book provides an investigation into what may be the most unpleasant character in all fiction. Barker combs through both the Old and New Testament (as well as 13 different editions of the “Good Book”), presenting powerful evidence for why the Scripture shouldn’t govern our everyday lives. This witty, well-researched book suggests that we should move past the Bible and clear a path to a kinder and more thoughtful world.

The God of classical theism, that which Jonathan MS Pearce calls "OmniGod", is in the crosshairs in the collection of arguments against such a god's existence. Omnipotence, omniscience (including full divine foreknowledge of every event that will come to pass), and omnibenevolence make for difficult bedfellows. In fact, OmniGod's characteristics are so flawed when employed together, and when seen in light of design, heaven, hell, and Satan, that belief in such a being is almost certainly irrational. This is what Pearce takes aim at - all of these ideas supposedly working in coherent unison - in this book aimed at a popular audience. The book packs a punch as he handily deconstructs these ideas to show that either God does not exist, or that God is not all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving."...since believers aren't usually reasoned out of a faith that they were never reasoned into, the prolific Pearce expertly throws the book at them. I'm a fan of his. Highly recommended reading "- John W. Loftus, philosopher and counter-apologist with 12 books, including The Case against Miracles and God and Horrendous Suffering."A concise but very philosophically sophisticated presentation of thirty evergreen problems for both theism in general and Abrahamic religions specifically. A must for the bookshelves of both atheists (to quickly reference powerful arguments) and theists (to understand the strongest and most commonly-used points of their opposition)." - Gunther Laird, author of The Unnecessary Science: A Critical Analysis of Natural Law Theory"Jonathan MS Pearce is a talented writer with a thoroughly enjoyable conversational style. While I tend to abhor philosophy, this little book provides a very nice, easy-to-read and comprehensive overview of a number of key philosophical issues pertaining to topics of God, religion and theology. This is an essential read for anyone with an interest in the viability of faith, whether it be theirs or another." - Dr. Kipp Davis, author of Dead Sea Scrolls Fragments in the Museum Collection

What drives us to be good? How do we even know how to be good? Philosophers and theologians have dealt with such questions for millennia, but Dan Barker thinks the answers are not so complicated. In Mere Morality, he argues there's no need to appeal to supernatural commandments or the fear of some higher power when considering morality. Stripping “good" and "evil” down to the basics, he offers a simple compass for navigating life's most difficult moral and ethical dilemmas.

A compelling essay on free will from an internationally recognized authority on atheism, and author of God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction. Do we have free will? And if we don’t, why do we feel as if we do? In a godless universe governed by impersonal laws of cause and effect, are you responsible for your actions? Former evangelical minister Dan Barker (God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction) unveils a novel solution to the question that has baffled scientists and philosophers for millennia. He outlines the concept of what he calls “harmonic free will,” a two-dimensional perspective that pivots the paradox on its axis to show that there is no single answer—both sides are right. Free will is a useful illusion: not a scientific, but a social truth.

The story of religion in the twenty-first-century West has been defined, in part, by the stories of once-zealous pastors moving beyond their faith to embrace a life of reason. But too often and too quickly ardent believers dismiss such accounts as aberrations and fail to consider the real-life implications for those who make this transition. Atheists and other skeptics, meanwhile, struggle to understand what took these individuals so long to make such a journey—and why others aren’t lining up more quickly to do the same. As a result, the questions posed by one side inevitably mirror those asked by the other. Why do believers trust in God the way they do? But what factors lead atheists to dismiss religious beliefs so easily? How can believers have faith in the face of known science and history? But what allows anyone to be so sure their beliefs are based in reality? What would it take for believers to stop believing in God? But what would it take for nonbelievers to start to believe? Drawing on the author’s own story as a former evangelical pastor powerless to stop his turn to atheism, The Rise and Fall of Faith touches on these and other questions, inviting readers into a long-overdue conversation between Christians and atheists. While the aim of the book is to initiate this much-needed discussion, the author encourages all who care about the future of humanity to carry the dialogue forward—whether in the evaluation of our own inner thoughts, in the assumptions we make about the other side, or in how we work together in the pursuit of understanding and common ground as we navigate the world’s ever-changing and increasingly challenging religious and cultural landscape.

A Mexican immigrant and rising star within the Christian community abandons his faith and comes out as a gay atheist In this exceptionally moving and soul-searching memoir, Fernando AlcÁntar recounts his incredible journey from poor Catholic boy on the dusty streets of Mexico to globetrotting missionary and high-profile Christian leader in the United States—where he eventually left his celebrated life behind to advocate for the liberating power of reason and equality. With heart-wrenching honesty, he shares stories of trauma, tragedy, prejudice, uncertainty, survival, and, ultimately, discovery. In the process, he gives a voice to thousands who are hiding in the shadows, afraid to publicly question their religious, cultural, or sexual identity for fear of isolation and retaliation. You will discover that his is not simply a Mexican story or an American story, a heterosexual's story or a homosexual's story, a Christian's story or an atheist's story. Rather, his is a universal story—one uniquely about and for our times.

Every thinking person wants to lead a life of meaning and purpose. For thousands of years, holy books have told us that such a life is available only through obedience and submission to some higher power. Today, the faithful keep popular devotionals and tracts within easy reach on bedside tables and mobile devices, all communicating this common message: “Life is meaningless without God.” In this volume, former pastor Dan Barker eloquently, powerfully, and rationally upends this long-held belief. Offering words of enrichment, emancipation, and inspiration, he reminds us how millions of atheists lead happy, loving, moral, and purpose-filled lives. Practicing what he preaches, he also demonstrates through his own personal journey that life is valuable for its own sake—that meaning and purpose come not from above, but from within.

This collection of satirical poems homes in on the inconsistencies and downright perversities of what passes in our culture as "Holy Writ." Turning to satire, with its long and distinguished record of exposing folly and bringing enlightenment through humor, the author leaves no doubt that primitive religion posing as eternal truth is just the sort of folly that satire is meant to correct. He lets his poetic imagination roam widely, as he takes on the roles of Eve, Noah, Sarah, Jonah, David, Mary, Jesus, Judas, and even the biblical Jehovah Himself, ("I never apologize, never explain."). We also hear from priests, televangelists, and faith healers, as well as some sensible contemporaries, commenting on what it means to live a life of reason. At the conclusion to the introduction, the author says: "Intelligent and well-meaning people have argued for centuries against the fatal attraction of foolishness, but their efforts have been largely unproductive, partly because many people seem impervious to rational discussion. So perhaps satire is our most effective way of lighting candles in the darkness and communicating effectively to those who are immune to reason. That is, at any rate, the hope, and the rationale, of this book." In this age of suicide bombers and resurgent fundamentalism, we need these lighted candles like never before.

How Does an Atheist Respond to the Question, What Is the Purpose of Life? For a Christian, it is faith that gives their life purpose. In his best-selling book The Purpose Driven(TM) Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?, Rick Warren says, "You must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose." But as a non-believer, your purpose resides in yourself; it is yours alone to discover and develop. It's about choosing to live your own life for your own reasons. No one can dictate your purpose. You decide. This book will help you understand and appreciate why freely choosing to help and cooperate with others is the true path to finding purpose. Life does not need purpose: Purpose needs life. To punctuate this point, The Good Atheist includes inspiring biographies of humanity's true heroes--men and women who did not waste their lives as slaves to a God, but rather found purpose in enhancing life on this Earth for all of us.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR GODLESS"Valuable in the human story are the reflections of intelligent and ethical people who listen to the voice of reason and who allow it to vanquish bigotry and superstition. This book is a classic example."-CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS author of God is Not Great"The most eloquent witness of internal delusion that I know-a triumphantly smiling refugee from the zany, surreal world of American fundamentalist Protestantism-is Dan Barker."-RICHARD DAWKINS author of The God Delusion"Godless was a revelation to me. I don't think anyone can match the (devastating!) clarity, intensity, and honesty which Dan Barker brings to the journey-faith to reason, childhood to growing up, fantasy to reality, intoxication to sobriety."-OLIVER SACKS authors of MusicophiliaIn Godless, Barker recounts his journey from evangelical preacher to atheist activist, and along the way explains precisely why it is not only okay to be an atheist, it is something in which to be proud."-MICHAEL SHERMER publisher of Skeptic Magazine"Godless is a fascinating memoir and a handbook for debunking theism. But most of all, it is a moving testimonial to one man's emotional and intellectual rigor in acclaiming critical thinking."-ROBERT SAPOLSKY author of Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers