Just Finished Reading: Empires of Belief – Why we need more Scepticism and Doubt in the 21st Century by Stuart Sim.

Seeing the growth of faith based belief systems apparently on the march all over the world Stuart Sim feels that it is time to take a stand. Utilising the philosophy of scepticism this book calls for an attack on the seeming certainties offered up by religious, political and scientific ideologies. Calling on the power of doubt Sim believes that we need to wake up before the world is thrust into an even deeper conflict between competing mindless fundamentalists.

This was a vigorous and well argued book which brings scepticism back as a central defence against the many competing ‘empires of belief’ in the world today. Far from concentrating on the obvious religious extremism Sim also explores the boundaries of political and scientific beliefs – especially when they profess absolute certainty. Virulently opposed to these absolutes he proposes that we can all use a healthy dose of scepticism in our lives to help us navigate the present area of competing beliefs. Sim also warns against the use of ‘super-scepticism’ exhibited by the post-modernists and post-structuralists. Such ideas whilst arguably the logical conclusion of scepticism, are seen as ultimately self defeating and unreasonable. This is a useful and rewarding book for anyone interested in how to call any absolutist ideology into question. Recommended.