The book explores the challenges faced by the Labour Party during its periods in opposition throughout the last century, questioning whether these years were squandered or served as crucial opportunities for development. Through the lens of historical context, it examines the experiences of leaders like Harold Wilson and the lessons learned during times of struggle, suggesting that opposition can foster innovation and resilience within the party.
The book critiques the ethical and political challenges posed by postmodern thought, arguing that recent calls for a "return of the metanarrative" fail to address the core issues. Through analysis of thinkers like Alain Badiou and Slavoj Žižek, Hyman contends that simply reversing postmodern problems does not resolve them. Instead, he advocates for a nuanced approach that maintains a tension between the universal, particular, and singular, suggesting that this balance is essential for ethical, political, and religious discourse in contemporary society.
Exploring the rise of atheism as an explicit philosophical position, Hyman traces its development in the ideas of Descartes, Locke and Berkeley. He shows that, since in recent theology the concept of God which atheists negate is changing, the triumph of its advocates may not be quite as unequivocal as Hitchens and Dawkins would have us believe.