This I Don't Believe

This I Don’t Believe confronts the common fear that life has no intrinsic meaning, then describes one path to fulfillment without it. Mixing memoir and philosophy, Robert Jensen invites readers to ponder the possibility of life without transcendence. Rejecting common sources of meaning—belief in God, spirituality, Nature mysticism, and free will—need not leave us stuck with nihilism. Drawing on his work as a journalist and professor, Jensen suggests that a life of thinking and work—joyful inquiry into a wonderfully complex world, coupled with a practice of ordinary labor—is enough to create a fulfilling life.

Philosophy is often impersonal and abstruse, intellectually dense and abstract. This I Don’t Believe is deeply personal and practical. Starting with an account of a broken childhood, Jensen explains how he built a worldview that doesn’t look away from the harshness of the world, yet isn’t suffocated by it. The book offers a jargon-free tour through contemporary philosophy and politics, encouraging readers to reflect on their own choices and commitments.

Rather than simply rehashing well-known theological and philosophical arguments, This I Don’t Believe makes a case for:

 “Robert Jensen’s prose is like water—simple, refreshing, nourishing. The author refuses to tell anyone what to think, but shows how life’s sharp twists brought one man to think. A profound and delightful book.”
–Elizabeth Cobbs, historian and author of Liberated: A Memoir

“If Socrates had been born an American in the 20th century, this is a book he would have written. There is nothing Robert Jensen is afraid to question and no answer he is afraid to consider. Read it at your peril!”
–Patrick Curry, author of Ecological Ethics and editor-in-chief of The Ecological Citizen

An ode to critical thinking, this personal, intelligent, and engrossing work connecting a constellation of ideas is a truly enjoyable read. There’s comfort in finding meaning in big ideas. God, the soul, free will can help one feel loved, special, in control. Jensen finds these sources of meaning hollow, requiring a faith that doesn’t blend well with critical thought. Jensen traces the roots of his perspective to his traumatic childhood, hazily remembered, which imposed on him a need for self-reliance. This start in life fuels his hesitancy to rely on faith or ideas bigger than himself. This book delivers a roadmap to finding satisfaction and fulfillment in life through critical and rational engagement with the world around us.”
–Josh Cannon, University of Pittsburgh, author of Fatal Second Helen: A Modern Veteran’s Iliad

“You can give up God, spirit, Nature, and free will; accept that most of reality is permanently beyond us; and still wake up early, do your work, walk the dogs, and find that enough.”
–Samir Varma, author of The Science of Free Will

“In this personal and engaging book, Robert Jensen manages something that doesn’t always come easy to skeptics or rationalists: treating alternative beliefs with respect and openness. Jensen presents his views in a reflective and modest way, while remaining clear throughout about what he doesn’t believe and why. What is left in the absence of transcendent meaning? What is achievable in a world without God, spirituality, ‘Nature,’ or free will? Jensen makes a convincing case for a fulfilling life of working and thinking, balanced by warnings about the ‘temptations of dense energy.’ Come for the atheism; stay for the wisdom.”
–Jeroen Bouterse, founder of history of science blog Shells and Pebbles

Robert Jensen, an Emeritus Professor in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Texas at Austin, is the author of a dozen books on politics and culture. More information at https://robertwjensen.org/.

• • • Print length: 228 pp
    • Format: Paperback
    • Publishing date: 1 September 2026
    • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8192110263
    • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.57 x 8.5 inche