Vincent Voiture
French poet
Christopher Hitchens was a renowned British-American author, journalist, and educator known for his sharp intellect, prolific writing, and staunch atheism. He was one of the leading figures of the “New Atheism” movement, writing critical biographies of prominent figures and advocating for free expression, scientific skepticism, and the separation of church and state.
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Family Info
Siblings
Peter Hitchens
Spouses
Eleni Meleagrou
Carol Blue
Children
Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens
About the Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchenswas a British and American author, journalist, and educator. Author of 18 books on faith, culture, politics and literature. He was born and educated in Britain, graduating in the 1970s from Oxford with a degree in philosophy, politics and economics. In the early 1980s, he emigrated to the United States and wrote for The Nation and Vanity Fair. Known as “one of the ‘four horsemen'”of New Atheism, he gained prominence as a columnist and speaker. His epistemological razor, which states that “what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence”, is still of mark in philosophy and law.
Hitchens’s political views evolved greatly throughout his life. Originally describing himself as a democratic socialist, he was a member of various socialist organisations in his early life, including the Trotskyist International Socialists. He was critical of aspects of American foreign policy, including its involvement in Vietnam, Chile and East Timor. However, he also supported the United States in the Kosovo War. Hitchens emphasised the centrality of the American Revolution and Constitution to his political philosophy. Hitchens held complex views on abortion; being ethically opposed to it in most instances, and believing that a fetus was entitled to personhood, while holding ambiguous, changing views on its legality. He supported gun rights and supported same-sex marriage, while opposing the war on drugs. Beginning in the 1990s, and particularly after 9/11, his politics were widely viewed as drifting to the right, but Hitchens objected to being called conservative. During the 2000s, he argued for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, endorsed the re-election campaign of US President George W. Bush in 2004, and viewed Islamism as the principal threat to the Western world.
Hitchens described himself as an anti-theist and saw all religions as false, harmful, and authoritarian. He endorsed free expression, scientific scepticism, and separation of church and state, arguing science and philosophy are superior to religion as an ethical code of conduct for human civilisation. Hitchens notably wrote critical biographies of Catholic nun Mother Teresa in The Missionary Position, President Bill Clinton in No One Left To Lie To, and American diplomat Henry Kissinger in The Trial of Henry Kissinger. Hitchens died from complications related to oesophageal cancer in December 2011, at the age of 62.
Frequently Asked Questions
Christopher Hitchens was a British and American author, journalist, and educator known for his work on faith, culture, politics, and literature. He was one of the prominent figures of the ,New Atheism, movement.
Christopher Hitchens’ political views evolved over his lifetime, starting as a democratic socialist and later supporting aspects of American foreign policy, including the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. He also held complex views on issues like abortion and gun rights.
Christopher Hitchens’ epistemological razor states that ,what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence,. This principle is still influential in philosophy and law.
Christopher Hitchens was the author of 18 books, covering topics such as faith, culture, politics, and literature. He was known for his critical biographies of figures like Mother Teresa, Bill Clinton, and Henry Kissinger.
Christopher Hitchens described himself as an anti-theist, believing that all religions are false, harmful, and authoritarian. He argued that science and philosophy are superior to religion as an ethical code of conduct for human civilization.
Christopher Hitchens died in December 2011 at the age of 62 from complications related to esophageal cancer.
Christopher Hitchens was known as ,one of the ‘four horsemen’, (along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett) of the New Atheism movement, which gained prominence for its criticism of religion and advocacy for atheism.
6 Quotes by Christopher Hitchens
- 1.
Terrorism is the tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gunpoint.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)
- 2.
Ronald Reagan used to alarm other constituencies by speaking freely about the End Times foreshadowed in the Bible.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)
- 3.
Nothing could make me forget what the Reagan years had actually been like.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)
- 4.
One of the many problems with the American left has been its image as something rather too solemn, mirthless, herbivorous, dull, monochrome, righteous, and boring.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)
- 5.
Ronald Reagan used to alarm his Soviet counterparts by saying that surely they’d both unite against an invasion from Mars.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)
- 6.
Ronald Reagan said that he sought a Star Wars defense only in order to share the technology with the tyrants of the U.S.S.R.
Christopher HitchensEnglish American author and journalist (1949-2011)