Victor J. Stenger was an American particle physicist and author known for his works bridging science, philosophy, and religious skepticism. He authored 13 books for general audiences, including "God: The Failed Hypothesis—How Science Shows That God Does Not Exist," which became a New York Times bestseller in 2007. His other notable works include "The Unconscious Quantum: Metaphysics in Modern Physics and Cosmology," "Has Science Found God? The Latest Results in the Search for Purpose in the Universe," and "The Fallacy of Fine-Tuning: Why the Universe Is Not Designed for Us." Stenger gained recognition for his critical examinations of pseudoscience, theology, and the intersection of science with belief systems.
Stenger's academic career spanned decades, with significant contributions to particle physics, including research on quarks, gluons, and neutrinos. He played a role in the groundbreaking 1998 experiment that confirmed neutrino mass, a discovery that later earned a Nobel Prize for the project's lead scientist. After earning his PhD from UCLA in 1963, he joined the University of Hawaii faculty, where he later became professor emeritus. His writing often reflected his scientific rigor, combining empirical evidence with philosophical inquiry to challenge claims of intelligent design and supernatural phenomena.
Beyond his scientific and literary achievements, Stenger was a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a research fellow at the Center for Inquiry. His works consistently advocated for rational inquiry and evidence-based reasoning, making him a prominent voice in contemporary atheist and scientific discourse. He retired to Colorado in 2000 but remained active in writing and public intellectual engagements until his passing.