The Rise of Atheism: Scientific versus Sociological Perspectives
Most survey data on the "rise of atheism" globally is actually measuring this third, looser category — declining religious affiliation and practice — rather than a rise in strict philosophical atheism. This distinction matters a great deal when comparing the scientific and sociological accounts below, because each account is really explaining a different phenomenon. 2. The Scientific Perspective The common assumption There's a popular narrative — reinforced by some prominent scientist-commentators — that scientific literacy and a "scientific temperament" directly produce atheism: the more one understands mechanism (evolution, physics, neuroscience), the less room there seems to be for a creator. A counter-argument worth considering This isn't the only reading, and arguably not the historically dominant one. Many scientists across history — and a significant number today — report that deeper engagement with nature's complexity pushes them *toward* belief...