Absence of Mind

In this daring book—an impassioned defense of the power of religious faith and a critique of modern scientific thinking—Marilynne Robinson tackles some of the most heady topics in the history of human thought: science, religion, and consciousness. Absence of Mind is a book that challenges the so-called rationalists who argue that the world would be a better place if we were all atheists. In Robinson's view, the quest for knowledge by which these rationalists define themselves is in fact a search for answers, not necessarily a simpler model of reality. By defending the importance of individual reflection, Robinson celebrates the power and diversity of human consciousness in the tradition of William James.