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Brief History Of Disbelief

In 3 one hour television programmes, recently broadcast on BBC4, Jonathan Miller reviewed the history of disbelief from the philosophers of Ancient Greece to the present day. 6 half-hour programmes, The Atheism Tapes, present more details of interviews between Miller and a number of philosophers, scientists, historians and authors. (DVDs of the latter are available via Amazon.)

No book of this series is available, but Ludovic Kennedy's All in the Mind: a Farewell to God (Hodder ansd Stoughton, 1999) covers similar ground and "offers a detailed history of atheism and humanism and a catalogue of the churches' murderous campaigns against the infidel and the heretic" (Guardian). See also Towards the Light by A C Grayling (Bloomsbury, London, 2007).

Miller's series is reviewed in the January and Spring issues of Humanist Forum (vol. 11 nos. 1 & 2) and is described in the following BBC documents:

• Brief History of Disbelief Summary of the series
• The Atheism Tapes Summary.
• Richard Denton Interview with the producer.

Some reviews available as web pages are:

• Have Your Say Letters to the BBC.
• Windy Miller lays into the Gods in The Scotsman.
• Thank God for Jonathan Miller! in New Humanist magazine.
• Letters to The Times.
• The curious dogmatism of atheists John Gray in Prospect Magazine.
• Miller: Master of all trades BBC biography.

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Spotted by Pat Mathewson in Radio Times (20-27 Nov.) letters.

… Jonathan Millers' Brief History of Disbelief was wonderful – it was informative without being stuffy and pompous; it was interesting without being too complicated; at the same time it managed to challenge my beliefs and make me re-evaluate them, even though I am a "disbeliever". People who say television is dumbing down obviously don't watch BBC4.
When is the BBC going to make this fantastic series (and its fantastic presenter) accessible to more people?

Alex Joseph (aged 17), St Albans, Hertfordshire

Unbelievably good!

If ever there was a moment when the creative herd should follow a trend, it is surely now. Jonathan Millers' Brief History of Disbelief (BBC4) was a singular lesson for documentary makers in its straightforward approach. It was also a timely reminder to the rest of us that there is good reason why most people are not adherents of any of the many religions.

Gardening programmes cause the growth of more programmes on gardening. Cookery programmes produce a veritable cornucopia of programmes on food. Let's now have a sea of documentaries to turn the tide in favour of the non-believers. At the very least, let the schedulers repeat Jonathan Millers' series on a ,major terrestrial channel at peak viewing time, so the greatest number of people have the opportunity to watch.

Stuart Allison, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire.