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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm
(October 13, 2013 at 3:03 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Quote:“Those who raise questions about the God hypothesis and the soul hypothesis are by no means all atheists. An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God. I know of no such compelling evidence. Because God can be relegated to remote times and places and to ultimate causes, we would have to know a great deal more about the universe than we do now to be sure that no such God exists. To be certain of the existence of God and to be certain of the nonexistence of God seem to me to be the confident extremes in a subject so riddled with doubt and uncertainty as to inspire very little confidence indeed. A wide range of intermediate positions seems admissible, and considering the enormous emotional energies with which the subject is invested, a questioning, courageous and open mind seems to be the essential tool for narrowing the range of our collective ignorance on the subject of the existence of God.”
— “The Amniotic Universe,” Broca’s Brain
Some food for thought.
Sagan rejected the strong atheist label. He didn't feel the controversy or debate was meaningful.
He was an agnostic atheist.
He believed in the pursuit of knowledge by the scientific method.
You either didn't understand him or you are simply being dishonest.
Skepticism is not a position; it is an approach to claims.
Science is not a subject, but a method.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 20, 2013 at 1:04 am
(October 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm)Chas Wrote: You either didn't understand him or you are simply being dishonest.
Why isn't "all of the above" an option?
This is Vinny after all...
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 27, 2013 at 9:46 pm
(October 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm)Chas Wrote: (October 13, 2013 at 3:03 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Some food for thought.
Sagan rejected the strong atheist label. He didn't feel the controversy or debate was meaningful.
He was an agnostic atheist.
He believed in the pursuit of knowledge by the scientific method.
You either didn't understand him or you are simply being dishonest.
Quote:An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist,
You have the reading comprehension skill of a sack of hammers.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 27, 2013 at 10:33 pm
I am not involved in this discussion, but I am now! He/She may have the reading comprehension of a sack of hammers, but YOU have the bat of a manning.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 27, 2013 at 10:57 pm
(October 27, 2013 at 9:46 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: (October 19, 2013 at 11:43 pm)Chas Wrote: Sagan rejected the strong atheist label. He didn't feel the controversy or debate was meaningful.
He was an agnostic atheist.
He believed in the pursuit of knowledge by the scientific method.
You either didn't understand him or you are simply being dishonest.
Quote:An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist,
You have the reading comprehension skill of a sack of hammers.
Vinny atheism has been defined on this forum
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21468.html
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 29, 2013 at 1:27 am
(October 27, 2013 at 10:57 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (October 27, 2013 at 9:46 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: You have the reading comprehension skill of a sack of hammers.
Vinny atheism has been defined on this forum
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21468.html
Lemon, definitions are not defined by the vote of four dozen people.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 29, 2013 at 2:53 am
(October 29, 2013 at 1:27 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: (October 27, 2013 at 10:57 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: Vinny atheism has been defined on this forum
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21468.html
Lemon, definitions are not defined by the vote of four dozen people.
No, instead its defined by one moron with a derpy batman avatar.
ALL PRAISE THE ONE TRUE GOD ZALGO
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 29, 2013 at 8:05 am
(October 27, 2013 at 10:57 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: (October 27, 2013 at 9:46 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: You have the reading comprehension skill of a sack of hammers.
Vinny atheism has been defined on this forum
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21468.html
Atheism is not a lack of belief nor a denial. Both of these require the premise that the existence of a deity is the norm from which we deviate. Atheism is an assertion that deities do not exist, which is a rejection of the premise entirely.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 29, 2013 at 8:15 am
(This post was last modified: October 29, 2013 at 8:16 am by Ben Davis.)
(October 29, 2013 at 8:05 am)ManMachine Wrote: Atheism is not a lack of belief nor a denial. Both of these require the premise that the existence of a deity is the norm from which we deviate. Atheism is an assertion that deities do not exist, which is a rejection of the premise entirely.
No, the claim that a deity/ies does/do not exist is 'antitheism': the opposition of theism (the claim that a deity/ies exist).
'Atheism' is most strictly and accurately 'the absence of theism'.
Sum ergo sum
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 29, 2013 at 11:27 am
(October 29, 2013 at 1:27 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: (October 27, 2013 at 10:57 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: Vinny atheism has been defined on this forum
http://atheistforums.org/thread-21468.html
Lemon, definitions are not defined by the vote of four dozen people. It is determined by the people that use the term. Why is it so hard for you to understand that we use the definition we gave you?
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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