News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Ask HN: Do you believe in God? by huxley on Sunday September 16, 2012 @11:59AM (#4529391)
I'm an atheist myself (born Catholic).

I tend to borrow bits from secular humanism and Camus' existentialism, which tell me that in the end, you need to find your own motivation, inspiration and hope.

Large groups of people are all capable of great works and great atrocities (along with a myriad of smaller ones), religions just happen to be one of the many divisions of people.

Re:Ask HN: Do you believe in God? by tylermauthe on Sunday September 16, 2012 @01:11PM (#4529599)
Thank you for sharing this great response! I've been tempted to look into Camus, perhaps I will revisit that undertaking. Any recommendations for literature?
Re:Ask HN: Do you believe in God? by huxley on Sunday September 16, 2012 @02:00PM (#4529739)
Depending on your temperament his fiction can be either very insightful or a total downer. I've found his non-fiction like "The Rebel" to be very accessible especially as philosophical works go (Heidegger and Kant being the epitome of inaccessible to the non-scholar and even then ... ugh). Camus also worked as a journalist so that had an impact on his writing.

It is very intense to read Camus straight, so I usually alternate it with something more optimistic or at least humorous. If I'm going to face the absurdity of existence as a mortal human being, I at least need a laugh or two on the way.

I remember William Barret's "Irrational Man" being a pretty good overview of existentialist thought.

Re:Ask HN: Do you believe in God? by tylermauthe on Sunday September 16, 2012 @02:19PM (#4529812)
Awesome, thanks again