This is my first post here and I just want to share some of the stuff I've been thinking recently sorry if I may be rambling a bit..I consider myself a weak atheist by the way..
Strong Atheism as defined by Dawkins belief scale (shown here: http://christophersisk.com/dawkins-belief-scale-images/) says "Strong Atheist: I am 100% sure that there is no God."
I think its safe to say that Strong Atheism is just as ridiculous as any religion (based on the assumption it makes) and may as well be considered a religion itself.
I've been exploring a lot of youtube clips lately of news channel and talk show interviews with atheists such as Dawkins, Hitchens, and various others and I've come to the conclusion that theists when structuring their arguments (usually) argue on the premise that all atheists are what Dawkins defines as Strong Atheists. This makes the theists look better then they are to the masses, because in reality its just two religions arguing with each other. I think that in order to show how religion is irrational atheism cannot be viewed in this way. I'm not saying that anyone is actually a Strong Atheist here (to be so is to be irrational and illogical I think), but whether we like it or not that is how the atheistic community is commonly viewed by theists. I think this mostly just stems from lack of understanding on the theists part..but the point I'm trying to make is why is Strong Atheism even mentioned at all? I think all the principles of rationality and logic go against Strong Atheism....right?
My second dilemma:
What is the real difference between a Weak Atheist and a De-facto Atheist in Dawkins belief scale?
5. Weak Atheist: I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical.
6. De-facto Atheist: I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable and I live my life under the assumption that he is not there.
It seems to me as Dawkins is saying that a Weak Atheist does not let his view point affect his life where as a De-facto Atheist does, and that that is the only difference, since:
"I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical" = "I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable..." These two statements are equal, right?
But whether or not you let your viewpoint affect your life says nothing about the correctness of said viewpoint...right? If that's true..why does Dawkins make that distinction? Should atheism ever be a statement about how you live your life, or just about your objective perceptions and observations about life?
My third dilemma:
Wouldn't a Pure Agnostic logically make the next step and become a Weak Atheist?
4. Pure Agnostic: God’s existence and non-existence are exactly equiprobable.
5. Weak Atheist: I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical.
As a pure agnostic you accept that gods existence and non existence have the same probability - which makes perfect sense to me, but the thing is your dealing with probability..so jumping from Pure Agnostic to Weak Atheist would make sense due to the objective things we know about our universe..right?
Thanks for reading, I hope you guys can answer my questions =D
Strong Atheism as defined by Dawkins belief scale (shown here: http://christophersisk.com/dawkins-belief-scale-images/) says "Strong Atheist: I am 100% sure that there is no God."
I think its safe to say that Strong Atheism is just as ridiculous as any religion (based on the assumption it makes) and may as well be considered a religion itself.
I've been exploring a lot of youtube clips lately of news channel and talk show interviews with atheists such as Dawkins, Hitchens, and various others and I've come to the conclusion that theists when structuring their arguments (usually) argue on the premise that all atheists are what Dawkins defines as Strong Atheists. This makes the theists look better then they are to the masses, because in reality its just two religions arguing with each other. I think that in order to show how religion is irrational atheism cannot be viewed in this way. I'm not saying that anyone is actually a Strong Atheist here (to be so is to be irrational and illogical I think), but whether we like it or not that is how the atheistic community is commonly viewed by theists. I think this mostly just stems from lack of understanding on the theists part..but the point I'm trying to make is why is Strong Atheism even mentioned at all? I think all the principles of rationality and logic go against Strong Atheism....right?
My second dilemma:
What is the real difference between a Weak Atheist and a De-facto Atheist in Dawkins belief scale?
5. Weak Atheist: I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical.
6. De-facto Atheist: I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable and I live my life under the assumption that he is not there.
It seems to me as Dawkins is saying that a Weak Atheist does not let his view point affect his life where as a De-facto Atheist does, and that that is the only difference, since:
"I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical" = "I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable..." These two statements are equal, right?
But whether or not you let your viewpoint affect your life says nothing about the correctness of said viewpoint...right? If that's true..why does Dawkins make that distinction? Should atheism ever be a statement about how you live your life, or just about your objective perceptions and observations about life?
My third dilemma:
Wouldn't a Pure Agnostic logically make the next step and become a Weak Atheist?
4. Pure Agnostic: God’s existence and non-existence are exactly equiprobable.
5. Weak Atheist: I do not know whether God exists but I’m inclined to be skeptical.
As a pure agnostic you accept that gods existence and non existence have the same probability - which makes perfect sense to me, but the thing is your dealing with probability..so jumping from Pure Agnostic to Weak Atheist would make sense due to the objective things we know about our universe..right?
Thanks for reading, I hope you guys can answer my questions =D
