Do atheists believe in the existence of friendship?

[Simon Moon]

Friendship is the name we put on a series of behaviors and feelings demonstrated by humans toward each. And lack of other behaviors that one associates with not being friends.

Of course friendship exists, because we can see people demonstrating those behaviors toward each other.

If two people are standing before me, and they are demonstrating most or all of the behaviors we associate with friendship, are avoiding the behaviors we associate with not being friends, that is pretty good evidence that they are friends.

For example, if I see them help each other out, go to movies or concerts together, wish each other the best in life, become sad for each other if they are going through tough times, compliment each other, if one chooses the other to be her bridesmaid or best man at their wedding, etc, etc, etc, since that all is part of some of the collected behaviors we associate with friendship, as a third person observing them, I can be pretty sure they are friends.

Could I be wrong? Sure.

But the evidence is pretty compelling they are friends.

And yes, love, friendship, empathy, sympathy, dislike, etc, are all a result of brain function, and brain chemicals.

All you said about friendship is indeed true (and interesting). But I am afraid you missed the most important thing which, if accepted by both sides, their friendship becomes perfect. This thing has nothing to do with chemicals or feelings though almost all people look for it.
In fact, as we will see, the answer is known already by almost everyone here, for being obvious. So, I am surprised how no one mentioned it yet!

So, you think just because I didn't mention the word 'trust', I don't think it is part of a good friendship?

Just because I failed to mention it, does not mean it is not part of a good friendship. You did notice the part of my post where I said, "etc, etc, etc", right? Thinking of every possible sign of friendship between 2 people, while I was at work, was not on the top of my mind when I posted yesterday.

How did you come to the conclusion that trust is not a product of brain chemicals?

Please google, "the brain chemistry of trust, or the neuroscience of trust:, or similar phrasing. There are plenty of scientific articles about this very subject.

But specifically, it is dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin (mostly oxytocin) responsible for trust.

[KerimF]

You don't have to believe me. I sometimes have a doubt to how long I can still be so.

If you read my posts, you would hear me say that I don't need to follow even my own pre-programmed instincts of survival, superiority, selfishness and of applying a certain justice on others.

Am I the only one like this? I guess not.
Jesus too (being real or not) on the Gospel is also a totally independent person,

Did Jesus defend himself or run away before his crucifixion?
Did he show up as a VIP or an important master looking for servants under his commands (as in the army)?
Was he selfish in whatever he did?
Did he judge and/or condemn anyone in the name of any justice?

I mean since the nature of your being doesn't allow you to believe that a character as of Jesus could be real, I am afraid that you have no choice but to laugh at me too 

It’s not a question of belief. ‘Total independence’ is an impossibility.

Boru

Well, you may be right... I still need to eat... to sleep... and design things to gain my daily bread.
I also don't mind obeying rules as long they don't contradict my Unconditional Love towards all humans, good and evil.

I recall now when, during my military service as an officer, I was asked to learn how to use a gun in a training session. I simply refused to hold one and told them that I don’t have enemies in my life. They replied:
Them: “But, at anytime, our country may be invaded by enemies”.
Me: “Would you please remind me the meaning of enemies?”
Them: “They are the ones who will impose on us their will”.
Me: “You mean as you are trying to do to me right now”.
They laughed while they moved away. Since then, I was never asked to join a training session. Instead, I taught applied electronics in a military academy for a couple of years.

[Ravenshire]

Your obviously searching for the word "love," but you couldn't be more wrong. It's entirely possible to have friends you do not love, just as it's possible to love someone you don't particularly like.

Thousands, even tens of thousands, of people will imprint on your life. Some positively, some negatively, some indifferently. Within those who imprint positively, there is a spectrum we call friends. Some are friends for life, others for a season, and a goodly chunk are people we are merely friendly with. To claim that love is the defining characteristic of all friendships is certified USDA Grade A bullshit.

I am very Sorry
It is not the word 'love'. Love could have many different meanings. The missing word is a practical one and cannot have more than one meaning

English is obviously not your first language if you believe trust has a single definition. And, to clarify the level of your bullshit:

It's entirely possible to have friends you do not trust, just as it's possible to trust someone you don't particularly know...
And, the same spectrum still holds true.

[Astreja]

My next thread will likely be:
Could Two Separate Real Living Beings Become One Real Living Being?

I guess most of you know already that the right answer is yes... right?

Apparently your "right" actually has the value of -(right).

No, I see absolutely no way whatsoever that two separate beings could be combined in any way to become "One Real Living Being."

Don't waste your time creating a new thread unless you can point us to a peer-reviewed paper that demonstrates experimentally that such a combination has successfully been made.

[Nay_Sayer]

My next thread will likely be:
Could Two Separate Real Living Beings Become One Real Living Being?

I guess most of you know already that the right answer is yes... right?

Apparently your "right" actually has the value of -(right).

No, I see absolutely no way whatsoever that two separate beings could be combined in any way to become "One Real Living Being."

Don't waste your time creating a new thread unless you can point us to a peer-reviewed paper that demonstrates experimentally that such a combination has successfully been made.

I'm gonna bet 100 shiny wooden nickles it has to do with child birth

[Astreja]

Don't waste your time creating a new thread unless you can point us to a peer-reviewed paper that demonstrates experimentally that such a combination has successfully been made.

I'm gonna bet 100 shiny wooden nickles it has to do with child birth

That would make for a hilarious epic fail, as a woman and her offspring are never one being, but two separate entities with a temporary conduit during pregnancy (the umbilical cord).

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Sorry, couldn't sit through 12 pages of this nonsense.

[KerimF]

All you said about friendship is indeed true (and interesting). But I am afraid you missed the most important thing which, if accepted by both sides, their friendship becomes perfect. This thing has nothing to do with chemicals or feelings though almost all people look for it.
In fact, as we will see, the answer is known already by almost everyone here, for being obvious. So, I am surprised how no one mentioned it yet!

So, you think just because I didn't mention the word 'trust', I don't think it is part of a good friendship?

Just because I failed to mention it, does not mean it is not part of a good friendship. You did notice the part of my post where I said, "etc, etc, etc", right? Thinking of every possible sign of friendship between 2 people, while I was at work, was not on the top of my mind when I posted yesterday.

How did you come to the conclusion that trust is not a product of brain chemicals?

Please google, "the brain chemistry of trust, or the neuroscience of trust:, or similar phrasing. There are plenty of scientific articles about this very subject.

But specifically, it is dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin (mostly oxytocin) responsible for trust.

In this case, I bet those who can have these chemicals in their body are rare on earth.
Let us start from this forum and see how many couples trust each other really. It will be great news if we find one couple.

Do you think these chemicals let someone trust blindly another person?
Or perhaps, after someone starts to trust to no limit a person, his brain, in turn, starts synthesizing those chemicals to protect his trust from fading with time.

Truth be said, I am an atheist, speaking science because I believe in my science only and let the world's science to others (Sorry, this a big topic but I liked you know that I can't believe/trust blindly what may be provided as being special discoveries on any media).
.

[Nay_Sayer]

So, you think just because I didn't mention the word 'trust', I don't think it is part of a good friendship?

Just because I failed to mention it, does not mean it is not part of a good friendship. You did notice the part of my post where I said, "etc, etc, etc", right? Thinking of every possible sign of friendship between 2 people, while I was at work, was not on the top of my mind when I posted yesterday.

How did you come to the conclusion that trust is not a product of brain chemicals?

Please google, "the brain chemistry of trust, or the neuroscience of trust:, or similar phrasing. There are plenty of scientific articles about this very subject.

But specifically, it is dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin (mostly oxytocin) responsible for trust.

In this case, I bet those who can have these chemicals in their body are rare on earth.
Let us start from this forum and see how many couples trust each other really. It will be great news if we find one couple.

Do you think these chemicals let someone trust blindly another person?
Or perhaps, after someone starts to trust to no limit a person, his brain, in turn, starts synthesizing those chemicals to protect his trust from fading with time.

Truth be said, I am an atheist, speaking science because I believe in my science only and let the world's science to others (Sorry, this a big topic but I liked you know that I can't believe/trust blindly what may be provided as being special discoveries on any media).
.

 Then you need to do better.  Both in your application of understanding science and communication.

[KerimF]

Sorry, couldn't sit through 12 pages of this nonsense.

Sorry, but it is your fault
You know in advance that friendship has nothing to do in your life.
And you have no time to read my posts seriously. 
But you insisted to waste your time and jumped onto this thread once a while to finally discover it is all about nonsense,


At school, some of my classmates saw Math study as being nonsense while I had to waste my time in studying History and Literature.
Humans are different by design; we like it or not.