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How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 12:11 am
How many strong assumptions do atheists and agnostics need to make? The weaker and more modest a claim is the easier it is to defend in a dialogue with others. I could just point out theists and supernaturalists have fail to support/prove highly speculative-controversial claims needed to rationally warrant strong belief. I don't have to make claims about metaphysical naturalism being true, or even assume methodological naturalism to not hold supernaturalism and theism to be true.
What do you think?
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 12:37 am
Weak atheists and agnostics don't need to make any assumptions.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 1:56 am
1. You exist
2. the universe exist
3. others exist
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 2:00 am
(March 31, 2015 at 12:37 am)AFTT47 Wrote: Weak atheists and agnostics don't need to make any assumptions. That's why I'm a "weak" atheist now and not a "strong" atheist. Claiming to have conclusive evidence deities don't exist is too hard to defend because it's easy to revise theism to dodge criticism. I've noticed atheist philosophers like Graham Oppy believe there aren't dialectically effective arguments one way or another.
(March 31, 2015 at 1:56 am)Surgenator Wrote: 1. You exist
2. the universe exist
3. others exist  I mean besides that. Like making big claims about life, the universe, and everything.
It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley, but to believe or not believe in God is not important at all. - Denis Diderot
We are the United States of Amnesia, we learn nothing because we remember nothing. - Gore Vidal
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 2:40 am
I consider myself a strong atheist but I don't have to make any claims. I merely have to point out that every fucking religion known to man was invented by humans...even the one that every believer thinks is "special."
It is not my fault if they cannot see what a bunch of assholes they look like.
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 4:59 am
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2015 at 4:59 am by robvalue.)
This is the most important assumption I need:
Logic works like we think it does.
While logic is working, the position is solid.
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 5:15 am
(March 31, 2015 at 2:00 am)Pizz-atheist Wrote: (March 31, 2015 at 1:56 am)Surgenator Wrote: 1. You exist
2. the universe exist
3. others exist I mean besides that. Like making big claims about life, the universe, and everything. OH, the basic assumption that 42 solves that problem.... hmmmm....
Maybe, in reality, the planet Earth will stand long enough to solve it... But some claim there's an intergalactic highway coming to destroy the planet.
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 5:20 am
Curious, what is this "42" I've seen a few times now?
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 5:33 am
(March 31, 2015 at 2:00 am)Pizz-atheist Wrote: I mean besides that. Like making big claims about life, the universe, and everything.
I don't know of any relevant claims that we can make that aren't backed up by evidence. Most of the time you should just really let theists make those claims and then try to make them understand why they aren't justified.
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
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RE: How many strong assumptions do unbelievers need?
March 31, 2015 at 5:47 am
(This post was last modified: March 31, 2015 at 5:47 am by robvalue.)
(March 31, 2015 at 5:20 am)Judi Lynn Wrote: Curious, what is this "42" I've seen a few times now?
It's from Douglas Adam's "life the universe and everything", part 3 of the 6 part "hitch hikers guide to the Galaxy" series of books/radio shows/TV shows. If you haven't seen/read them, I can't recommend doing so enough! My favourite author, and favourite books of all time.
Regarding my earlier post: I don't need to assume logic really, the theist needs to allow for logic to even begin a discussion. So it's a mutually agreed assumption, hopefully.
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