The great Christopher Hitchens has died.
Journalist, literary critic, polemicist and constant scourge of those who promote religious superstition, Hitchens is a great loss to humanity.
It is reported that he was writing right up to his death which reminds me of another great philosopher/writer/atheist – Bertrand Russell.
Russell was still writing on the day he died in 1970 at the grand old age of 98.
Many years previously, in 1921, while on a lecture tour in China, Russell became so ill that he had the pleasure of reading his own obituary notices.
One missionary paper had an obituary notice of just one sentence which read:
Missionaries may be pardoned for heaving a sigh of relief at the news of Mr. Bertrand Russell’s death.
No doubt many purveyors of religious superstition will be greatly relieved on hearing of Mr. Hitchens passing but I believe he will continue to inspire through his writings, lectures and debates.
Here’s a nice piece by Daniel Dennett on Hitchens
http://tiny.cc/gktz6