The article wasn’t talking about the “basis” of atheism, but about what positive cosmology atheists are practically committing to adding to their denial of theism as an ultimate explanation of the universe.

What’s ridiculous isn’t atheism in the narrow, purely negative sense, but the conceit of hyperrationality shared by many new atheists. The article’s question isn’t whether it’s ridiculous to deny that gods exist. Instead, the question is whether the atheist can develop a positive worldview without saying something that’s about as ridiculous as theism.