Spirituality & religion

People often ask me what to read on a particular subject. Here are some suggestions.

All my books and articles are listed in Publications.


Watch

Four Simple Questions Podcast with Jim Newman, October 2023

TSC 2022 – Dialogue v2 with Susan Blackmore and Deepak Chopra, Tucson 26-5-2022

I enjoyed arguing with two Christians for Cliffe Knechtle’s ‘Give me an answer’ podcast. Entitled either “Free Will or Determined?” or “The Atonement, We’re In Charge or God is In Charge!” they invited me because of my earlier debate with Jordan Peterson for Unbelievable. 8.9.2020

For ZDF Germany: I was interviewed for this film, Blick in die Ewigkeit? Der Tod und das Danach. (on the subject of Life After Death). My interview starts at 17:40. Released 13.04.2020

My discussion with Jordan Peterson on Premier Christian Radio, part of The Big Conversation video series from Unbelievable? “Do we need God to make sense of life?”. 8 June 2018

Interview on spirituality, self, free will and consciousness with Mel van Dusen, 08 August 2017

A podcast for the Spiritual Naturalist Society. Consciousness, science, Zen and more. 01 August 2017

“May I offend you? The clash of Science, Religion and Free Speech”. My lecture at the American Atheists National Convention, Memphis. April 2015. Watch on YouTube.

Did Darwin kill God? Documentary Film 2009. There are some who believe that Darwin’s theory of evolution has weakened religion, fuelled in part by Richard Dawkins’ publishing phenomenon The God Delusion. Conor Cunningham argues that nothing could be further from the truth.

Closer to Truth Podcasts

Can Religion Be Explained Without God?

Atheism’s Best Arguments?

Does consciousness lead to God?

Can religion be explained without God?

Can a person be a soul?

How belief systems affect believers

Listen

BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Moral Maze’ – 15 February 2023. Why does God allow natural disasters to happen?

An Encounter with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby talks to Susan Blackmore on BBC Radio 4 – 27.02.2022

“Sunday Morning with Sally Magnusson” on BBC Radio Scotland. I was happy to be asked, Who am I? What’s the mind? What’s the point of it all? As well as about my childhood, my religious background, how I became a scientist, and whether I believe in a soul or spirit (No). 04.08.2019

BBC Radio 4  – The Moral Maze: Religious orthodoxy versus liberal values – a debate on circumcision and religious freedom chaired by Michael Buerk. 24 February 2018. Listen on BBC iplayer.

Premier Christian Radio – Debate with Jordan Peterson, 3 February 2018 (available when podcast, probably May 2018).

Premier Christian Radio –  Listen to the radio debate. Unbelievable? Debating science and spiritual practices – Rupert Sheldrake vs Susan Blackmore. 18 November 2017

BBC World Service – CrowdScience. Is there life after death? I talk mostly about my own OBE and why I don’t think there is evidence of life after death: my contribution is roughly from 11 minutes to 18 minutes. 23.10.17

Premier Christian Radio –  Listen to the radio debate. Unbelievable? Is human life intrinsically valuable? Peter Singer, Richard Weikart & Susan Blackmore. 7 May 2016

Premier Christian Radio –  Listen to the radio debate. Unbelievable? Graham Ward & Sue Blackmore on the biology of belief – Unbelievable? 6 September 2014

Sunday Morning with Richard Holloway’ on BBC Radio Scotland – we argue about life, the universe, and everything, and I choose some music. 13.02.2011

Wired for God? I (the atheist) debate the origin of spiritual experiences with Charles Foster (the Christian) on Premier Christian Radio‘s “Unbelievable” 17 July 2010. Listen here.

Debate on Premier Christian Radio about the dreadful film “Expelled”. 20 March 2010 Listen here.

A debate with Alistair McGrath at Bristol University Is God a dangerous delusion? 13 November 2007

Point of Inquiry discussion with D.J. Grothe on science, belief and naturalism, 15 December 2006

A Good Read (BBC Radio 4) with Simon Thurley and Susan Blackmore. Sue’s chosen book is The End of Faith by Sam Harris. Now available on BBC Sounds. October 2006

Castaway on Desert Island Discs BBC Radio 4, 3.5.98 and 8.5.98.

 

Read

Blackmore, S. 2023 How spiritual is Deepak Chopra? Skeptical Inquirer, 47:2 52-55.

Buzzfeed How atheists find meaning in a purposeless universe, August 2015

Book chapter, My answers in: Science and Religion: Five Questions. Ed. Gregg, Caruso, Automatic Press.

MPs promoting faith.  An open letter to my MP in the Plymouth Herald. I also signed the letter to David Cameron published in The Telegraph.

Interview  in The Third Way, Christian magazine, 2010

Some of my work on memes treats religions as memeplexes, for example:

Blackmore,S. 2001 Evolution and memes: The human brain as a selective imitation device. Cybernetics and Systems, 32, 225-255.     Italian translation Blackmore S. (2003), German translation Blackmore S. (2003)

The Meme Machine , Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press 1999. Also translated into 15 other languages.

Blogs

100 walked out of my lecture – post and comments on Richard Dawkins Foundation website, and at Psychology Today. ‘I am offended, I won’t listen’

Many of my posts for the Guardian blogsite Commentisfree are about religious topics. e.g.

I feel strongly about the issue of women wearing veils. See:
Beyond discomfort

Also The Faith Column of the New Statesman

Fun Award – MBA May 2011I received in the post a delightful hand-made badge for the Gold standard Materialist Bravery Award, from Ms Dai Andthatsit in Dawkinshire. Apparently I’m so brave that I don’t need to believe in life after death. (my opinion has nothing to do with the evidence of course!)