New Release Books by A C Grayling

''Grayling brings satisfying order to daunting subjects'' Steven Pinker _________________________ In very recent times humanity has learnt a vast amount about the universe, the past, and itself. But through our remarkable successes in acquiring knowledge we have learned how much we have yet to learn: the science we have, for example, addresses just 5 per cent of the universe; pre-history is still being revealed, with thousands of historical sites yet to be explored; and the new neurosciences of mind and brain are just beginning. What do we know, and how do we know it? What do we now know that we don''t know? And what have we learnt about the obstacles to knowing more? In a time of deepening battles over what knowledge and truth mean, these questions matter more than ever. Bestselling polymath and philosopher A. C. Grayling seeks to answer them in three crucial areas at the frontiers of knowledge: science, history and psychology. A remarkable history of science, life on earth, and the human mind itself, this is a compelling and fascinating tour de force, written with verve, clarity and remarkable breadth of knowledge. _________________________ ''Remarkable, readable and authoritative. How he has mastered so much, so thoroughly, is nothing short of amazing'' Lawrence M. Krauss, author of A Universe from Nothing ''This book hums with the excitement of the great human project of discovery'' Adam Zeman, author of Aphantasia

In 2007 Anthony Grayling wrote Against All Gods, a collection of polemical essays attacking religion. Now in To Set Prometheus Free he develops those themes more comprehensively, unpicking the claims and arguments of religious apologists, summarising the views of his fellow secularist (Bertrand Russell in particular detailing the controversy over ''Intelligent Design'' and outlining his personal, naturalistic world-view. He robustly calls for humanity to choose deliverance from religion because, as he puts it, ''large portions of mankind remain in some degree in thrall to myths dating from an ignorant and illiterate past.''

Do religions have an inherent right to be respected? Is atheism itself a form of religion, and can there be such a thing as a ''fundamentalist atheist''? Are we witnessing a global revival in religious zeal, or do the signs point instead to religion''s ultimate decline? In a series of bold, unsparing polemics, A.C. Grayling tackles these questions head on, exposing the dangerous unreason he sees at the heart of religious faith and highlighting the urgent need we have to reject it in all its forms, without compromise. In its place he argues for a set of values based on reason, reflection and sympathy, taking his cue from the great ethical tradition of western philosophy.