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335:"I am afraid that if I said how many authors I read and the number of books I read, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen many would think I was romancing. But I can definitely date the fact that before I was eighteen I was familiar with Spinoza, Locke, Hume, and Berkeley, besides having revelled in the Platonic dialogues..." (Cohen, 1940, p. 43)
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reveal that during the 1919 indoor lecturing season, he spoke at no less than 34 venues on more than 50 occasions. Venues included
Manchester and Leicester (often), Abertillery, South Shields, Swansea, Glasgow, Paisley, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Belfast, Leeds. Subjects included "Christianity, the Army
124:
Chapman Cohen (known by his contemporaries as CC) was the elder son of Enoch Cohen, a confectioner, and his wife, Deborah (née
Barnett). He was born in Leicester, although the family moved to London in 1889. He attended a local elementary school but was otherwise self-educated. He had read Spinoza,
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the speaker was opposed by an old gentleman – at least he seemed old to me – who suffered from an impediment in his speech. The lecturer in replying spent part of his time in mimicking the old gentleman's speech. After he had "replied," the lecturer asked for more opposition. Mainly because of his
240:
For about forty-four years I have been busy in the interests of
Freethought with my pen as well as with my tongue, and for about forty-two years I have been a regular writer for one of the oldest Freethought journals in Europe, and with a single exception, the oldest in the world. For twenty-four
207:
Foote's tradition of militant journalism was maintained by
Chapman, although the style changed from an emphasis on biblical criticism to criticism of religion based on a materialistic philosophy and the findings of science, particularly evolution. Chapman was a prolific author and his writing is
221:
His approach to his lectures and debates was similar and he was well known for his quickfire responses and sharp humour. A story related by Cohen's son
Raymond to this contributor makes the point. At one meeting the issue of deathbed recantations came up. At the time it was believed that
290:
Stanley describes Cohen as "highly visible" and according to David Berman (writing before the present prominence of writers such as
Richard Dawkins), Cohen was "probably the last popular and popularist champion of atheism in Britain".
218:
and the Nation", "Freethought, Religion and Death" and "God and
Evolution". In 1919 he also debated with the Glasgow spiritualists. His engagements for 1935 show there was little sign of a reduction in his commitments.
128:
Cohen recalled that he had "little religion at home and none at school", as he was withdrawn from
Religious Instruction classes. He described his own attitude to religion as being characterised by "easy-going contempt".
241:
years I have been the official editor of that journal, and for the same period, President of the
National Secular Society, the only organisation for the propagation of militant Freethought in the British Isles.
271:(2004), "as an organizer Cohen did much to build up the resources of secularism in the inter-war years, but by 1949, when he was persuaded to resign as president, many members felt he had stayed on too long."
132:
Cohen and his wife, Celia, had two children; a son, Raymond, who entered the medical profession, and a daughter, Daisy, who died at the age of 29 from tuberculosis.
455:
264:(1940) gives just a little insight into a very private man although it deals mainly with his opinions presented with his characteristic panache and humour.
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He spoke against the same lecturer – at their invitation – a few weeks later. Shortly afterwards he was invited to speak by the local branch of the
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810:
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Royle (2004). Said Cohen, "in common fairness I object to being called "self-education," as though I did everything myself." (1940, p. 93).
695:
Stanley, Matthew (2008). "Mysticism and
Marxism: A.S. Eddington, Chapman Cohen, and political engagement through science popularization."
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173:(NSS). After a year of lecturing for the freethought cause, he joined the NSS. He was elected a vice-president of the NSS in 1895.
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was quite accidental. I had heard none of its speakers, read none of its publications, except an occasional glance at Bradlaugh's
780:
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philosophy of life, which had a large sale, and he was outstanding as a forthright, witty and courteous debater and lecturer.
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Locke, Hume, Berkeley, and Plato by the time he was eighteen. He was a bibliophile and avidly collected books all his life.
190:, and after Foote's death in 1915 he was appointed editor. Cohen had written for other freethought journals before joining
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Napoleon had been a heretic who recanted on his deathbed and begged for God’s mercy. During the meeting a heckler shouted
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https://web.archive.org/web/20060601235815/http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/chapman_cohen/index.shtml
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145:
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The Other Side of Death: A Critical Examination of the Belief in a Future Life, with a Study of Spiritualism
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My career as a lecturer – continuously lecturing – is a record in the history of the Freethought movement.
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Cohen moved to London in 1889, and soon became involved in the secularist movement. Cohen commented that,
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600:, London : Watts & Co., 1928. Verbatim Report of Debate between Chapman Cohen and C.E.M. Joad.
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However, his greatest memorial is his writings both numerous books and pamphlets and in the columns of
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As such Cohen is both the longest serving President of the NSS and the longest serving editor of
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Between the wars Chapman dominated the NSS. A study of Chapman's engagements as listed in
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574:, third and fourth series. Revised edition. Austin, Texas: American Atheist Press, 1987.
564:, first and second series. Revised edition. Austin, Texas: American Atheist Press, 1987.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20061120091216/http://www.positiveatheism.org//tochcohn.htm
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makes the case for freethought and secularism with great clarity and force. His
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Cohen (1940, p. 61) relates that in the Summer of 1889 he was walking in
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112:(1 September 1868 – 4 February 1954) was an English freethinker, atheist, and
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204:. Cohen also succeeded Foote as President of the National Secular Society.
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Stratton, R. F. (1995, Winter). Remembering a giant. Free Inquiry, 15, 41.
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152:. I knew there was a Freethought movement afoot, but that was about all.
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Religion and sex: studies in the pathology of religious development.
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when he came across a crowd listening to a Christian speaker:
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characterised by a clarity of style and intellectual rigour.
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God and the universe: Eddington, Jeans, Huxley and Einstein.
226: Cohen looked puzzled, scratched his head and replied
16:
English atheist, secularist writer, and lecturer (1868–1954)
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Almost an autobiography: the confessions of a freethinker.
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A History of Atheism in Britain, From Hobbes to Russell.
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Almost an autobiography: confessions of a freethinker.
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In 1897 Cohen began contributing weekly articles to
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treatment of the old man I accepted the invitation.
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676:Vision and Realism: 100 years of The Freeethinker.
302:He was the author of many books setting forth the
604:Opinions, random reflections and wayside sayings.
232:In 1940, summarising his own contribution to the
278:until 1951, when he retired and was replaced by
594:London: Pioneer Press, 1927 (3rd edition 1943).
298:printed a short obituary of Cohen, which said:
598:Materialism : Has it been Exploded ?
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616:, 1919. Reprint, New York: AMS Press, 1975.
310:He was cremated at St. Albans crematorium.
454:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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621:Theism or atheism: the great alternative.
224:"What did Napoleon say on his deathbed?"
699:, Vol. 46 (2), June, pp. 181–194.
686:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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144:My introduction to the platform of the
684:(2004). "Cohen, Chapman (1868–1954)",
546:Essays in freethinking: fourth series.
534:Essays in freethinking: second series.
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552:Essays in freethinking: fifth series.
540:Essays in freethinking: third series.
528:Essays in freethinking: first series.
367:. London: Pioneer Press. p. 110.
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426:. Stein, Gordon. Buffalo, NY. 1985.
636:War, civilization and the churches.
568:Essays in freethinking: volume two.
558:Essays in freethinking: volume one.
516:Pamphlets for the People: Nos 1-18.
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678:London: G.W. Foote & Co. Ltd.
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648:2nd edition revised and enlarged
722:Works by or about Chapman Cohen
103:Enoch Cohen and Deborah Barnett
632:. London: Pioneer Press, 1922.
588:. London: Pioneer Press, 1921.
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811:British critics of religions
660:Berman, David (1988, 1990).
638:London: Pioneer Press, 1930.
624:London: Pioneer Press, 1921.
606:London: Pioneer Press, 1931.
580:London: Pioneer Press, 1931.
554:London: Pioneer Press, 1939.
548:London: Pioneer Press, 1938.
542:London: Pioneer Press, 1928.
536:London: Pioneer Press, 1927.
530:London: Pioneer Press, 1923.
524:London: Pioneer Press, 1940.
518:London: Pioneer Press, 1916.
424:The Encyclopedia of unbelief
737:(public domain audiobooks)
688:, Oxford University Press,
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816:British atheism activists
643:Determinism or Free Will?
274:Cohen remained editor of
228:"Not tonight, Josephine?”
194:, and had briefly edited
585:A Grammar of Freethought
502:, 6 February 1954, p. 8.
258:Pamphlets for the People
171:National Secular Society
146:National Secular Society
667:Cohen, Chapman (1940).
365:Almost an Autobiography
363:Cohen, Chapman (1940).
262:Almost an Autobiography
256:The series of eighteen
236:movement, Cohen wrote:
781:Jewish English writers
731:Works by Chapman Cohen
713:Works by Chapman Cohen
690:Retrieved 23 July 2009
671:London: Pioneer Press.
650:. Pioneer Press, 1919.
572:Essays in freethinking
562:Essays in freethinking
481:Stanley (2008), p. 189
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826:20th-century atheists
821:19th-century atheists
806:People from Leicester
674:Herrick, Jim (1982).
592:Materialism restated.
490:Berman (1990, p. 220)
472:Cohen (1940, pp. 7–8)
458:) CS1 maint: others (
413:Herrick (1981, p. 55)
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116:writer and lecturer.
646:Walter Scott, 1912.
404:Cohen (1940, p. 66).
395:Cohen (1940, p. 63).
377:Cohen (1940, p. 12).
353:Cohen (1940, p. 93).
791:Freethought writers
386:Cohen (1940, p. 60)
136:Secularist activism
87:writer and lecturer
664:London: Routledge.
612:London/Edinburgh:
801:Jewish socialists
717:Project Gutenberg
150:National Reformer
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58:(1954-02-04)
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771:1954 deaths
766:1868 births
570:Reprint of
560:Reprint of
304:freethought
280:F.A. Ridley
200:, owned by
183:Freethinker
178:G. W. Foote
760:Categories
433:0879753072
314:References
234:secularist
114:secularist
85:secularist
37:1868-09-01
500:The Times
450:cite book
296:The Times
202:J.W. Gott
100:Parent(s)
66:, England
47:, England
45:Leicester
735:LibriVox
442:12254759
92:Children
724:at the
697:Minerva
701:Online
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286:Impact
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120:Life
53:Died
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