Free Thought: Core Resources

A guide to the thinkers, tools, and history behind the freedom to question.

📘 Books & Essays

• Susan Jacoby – Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism
  A comprehensive and accessible history of secularism in the U.S.—and how free thought shaped democracy.

• Thomas Paine – The Age of Reason
  A foundational text of Enlightenment thinking, challenging religious orthodoxy in favor of rational inquiry.

• Christopher Hitchens – Letters to a Young Contrarian
  Encouragement for those who think differently—and a warning about the seductions of groupthink.

• Ayaan Hirsi Ali – Infidel
  A personal journey from religious indoctrination to independent thought, courageously told.

• Carl Sagan – The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
  A defense of skeptical inquiry and a toolkit for resisting pseudoscience and propaganda.

• Julia Sweeney – Letting Go of God (script/book form)
  A humorous, heartfelt story of leaving religion and embracing curiosity and free inquiry.

• Daniel Dennett – Breaking the Spell
  A philosopher’s look at religion through the lens of evolutionary psychology and memetics.

• Elizabeth Cady Stanton – The Woman’s Bible
  A pioneering freethought critique of patriarchal religion from one of America’s first feminists.

🎧 Podcasts, Videos & Talks

• The Atheist Experience
  A long-running call-in show where reason meets belief—known for respectful debate and Socratic inquiry.
  https://www.atheist-experience.com

• Julia Galef – The Scout Mindset (Book + Talks)
  Focused on intellectual honesty, updating beliefs, and being curious instead of defensive.
  TEDx Talk

• Matt Dillahunty – Debates and Street Epistemology
  Powerful examples of reasoned, non-hostile confrontation of dogma and poor logic.
  YouTube 

• Steve Hofstetter – Comedian and podcaster confronting hypocrisy, bigotry, and bad logic with sharp humor.
  https://www.stevehofstetter.com

• Greta Christina – Why Are You Atheists So Angry?
  Talk and book unpacking moral and emotional motivations behind secular activism.

• Neil deGrasse Tyson – Science, Belief, and the Public
  Various appearances and talks on the importance of critical thinking and scientific literacy.

📄 Articles & Online Tools

• Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)
  A leading organization defending secularism, church-state separation, and free thought.
  https://ffrf.org

• Center for Inquiry (CFI)
  Resources on skepticism, science, and secular ethics.
  https://centerforinquiry.org

• Internet Infidels – The Secular Web
  A rich archive of essays, debates, and philosophy on religion and reason.
  https://infidels.org

• Edge.org – The Annual Question Archive
  Where some of the world’s leading thinkers pose and answer bold questions.
  https://www.edge.org 

• Robert Ingersoll – Known as “The Great Agnostic,” this 19th-century orator defended reason, secular morality, and separation of church and state.
  https://secularhumanism.org/ingersoll-museum/

• The Skeptic’s Dictionary – Robert T. Carroll
  Concise, accessible entries on pseudoscience, conspiracy, and belief systems.
  https://skepdic.com