When I asked the question a few weeks ago about atheist world views , my relative and favourite atheist Roo referred me to AC Grayling's The Good Book: A Secular Bible. AC Graying was until recently Professor of Philosophy at London University, and is a prominent advocate of secular humanism which he equates with atheism. The purpose of The Good Book , it seems, is to provide humanists with their own guidebook which could take the place of the sacred texts of the religions he sees as obsolete or discredited. This book reminded me of those high-functioning autistic savants who are able to translate their singularity of focus into works of obscure and unusual genius. Sometimes these works are merely brilliant curiosities, like Stephen Wiltshire , who produces lifelike paintings of real cityscapes based on the briefest of observations, or Gilles Trehin, the creator of Urville , an incredibly detailed imaginary city. On the other hand, some have a huge and lasting impact.
'Contemplating the teeming life of the shore, we have an uneasy sense of the communication of some universal truth that lies just beyond our grasp.' - Rachel Carson