Richard C. Carrier

From Philosopedia

Carrier, Richard C. (1 December 1969 - )

Carrier, an author and doctoral student at Columbia, has described his parents as having been nominal Methodists - his mother was a church secretary. He went to Sunday School and to church on holy days. At the age of 15 he labeled himself a philosophical Taoist. At age 21 he labeled himself as an atheist and secular humanist.

He served in the United States Coast Guard (1990-1992), achieving the rank of Petty Officer Third Class (E-4). He became a qualified marksman, flight-deck firefighter, damage control petty officer, duty gunner's mate, and sonar technician (electronics, anti-submarine warfare). He served aboard the USCGC Sherman (Alameda), patrolled Alaskan, arctic, and international waters. He received a National Service Medal, a Navy Letter of Commendation, and an Honorable discharge at the convenience of the government.

In 1995, he married Jennifer Robin Paynter (Carrier).

In 1997, Carrier earned his B.A. in history (minor in classical civilization) at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1998, he earned his M.A. in Ancient History at Columbia and in 2000 his Master of Philosophy in Ancient History. At Columbia, he currently is working on his doctoral dissertation.

In 1998, while a student at Columbia University, he signed the Campus Freethought Alliance’s Bill of Rights for Unbelievers.

He is a member of the American Philological Association, the Association of Ancient Historians, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, History of Science Society, and The Historical Society.

Carrier is the author of Sense and Goodness without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism (Author/House 2005). The work analyzes the various viewpoints concerning the existence or non-existence of God. If God does not exist, then what does exist? Should we care if there is evil as well as good? What does it mean to say that some ideas are true whereas other are not? Discussed are topics such as free will, the nature of the universe, and the meaning of life. Carrier argues, using scientific evidence, that there is only a physical, natural world without gods or spirits, and that this allows us to live a life of love, meaning, and joy.

He has been widely published, including the following:

"A Fish Did Not Write This Essay," Freethought Today 12:7 (Sept. 1995), p. 8.

"The Function of the Historian in Society," The History Teacher 35.4 (Aug 2002), pp. 519-26.

"Was Catholic Hitler "Anti-Christian"? On the Trail of Bogus Quotes," Freethought Today 19:9 (Nov. 2002), pp. 10-11.

"The Plausibility of Theft," "The Burial of Jesus in Light of Jewish Law," and "The Spiritual Body of Christ and the Legend of the Empty Tomb" in The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond The Grave, Robert Price & Jeffery Jay Lowder, eds., Prometheus Books (2005).

Carrier's index of freethought writings include his views on ethics and values, faith and reason, science and creationism, as well as on ancient history. Details are included of his 19 April 2004 debate at the University of California with Mike Licona about how Christianity began, a debate that is available on DVD. Carrier has been involved in online, atheist-theist debates for more than ten years and served as Feedback Editor and Editor in Chief of the Secular Web for many years.

Carrier's blogs cover a variety of timely subjects, contain his profile, and tell of his interest in Tao Te Ching.

Correspondence with Antony Flew

In 2001, Carrier wrote to British philosopher Antony Flew, calling his attention to having seemingly changed from holding atheist views to becoming a theist. Carrier was highly critical of Flew's response, and Flew did retract some of his prior statements. In "The Turning of an Atheist", Mark Oppenheimer (The New York Times Magazine, 4 November 2007) credits Carrier with helping document that in his old age Flew has become a gullible old man.