Interview with CW Brown, Founder of Philosophical Atheism, and Exec Dir. of the Atheist Aliance
April 28, 2017
Angelos Sofocleous
CW, you are the CEO and Founder of the Philosophical Atheism online community. How did this idea come about?
I wanted to create a forum for people to discuss complicated philosophical concepts based in reason, evidence, understanding, and proper argumentation. We also joke, laugh, and educate ourselves as we go. I am excited that it has become so popular. We have a lot of fun and learn a lot about life while doing it.
How do you believe the two relate? Is there a need for atheists to be philosophical and for philosophers to be atheists?
To be without religion is a beginning, but to better navigate life without a god or gods, we need a decent philosophy to live by. Some atheists are nihilists, while others are humanists. I prefer to say that we all create meaning for our own lives, as we see fit. To do this, we need good philosophy and there is plenty for us to learn. Philosophical Atheism helps people do this.
What does Philosophical Atheism do to promote its values?
We constantly encourage people to question their beliefs. We have recently partnered with the Atheist Alliance of America to make a better world based on our shared values. Their vision is to transform society into one that supports a worldview based on reason, empiricism, and naturalism.
You were a conservative Christian for 17 years. How, and why, did you become an atheist?
I read the Bible many times. I used to proselytize to people and became quite adept at Christian apologetics. I had to do this because it kept me believing. However, by continuing to defend in my gut what I felt were faulty thinking processes, I acknowledged much about the psychology behind many believers that disturbed me. With this in mind, I increased my understanding of psychology, philosophy, and other religions, including Eastern ones. This led me to know that my feelings were correct and had clear, valid reasons for why these people were wrong. This research also helped me understand why their actions played out the way they did. It was liberating, but also difficult because I had to leave everything I knew. Philosophical Atheism was a creation of this transition, to help others avoid floundering as long as I did before my own de-conversion.
https://conatusnews.com/interview-cw-brown-founder-ceo-philosophical-atheism-executive-director-atheist-alliance-america/
