RE: Agnostics
August 4, 2016 at 9:47 pm
(This post was last modified: August 4, 2016 at 9:50 pm by Whateverist.)
(August 4, 2016 at 8:25 pm)wiploc Wrote:Quote:Or try this on for size: in the case of God, most ask, "Do you believe in God?" anticipating a no answer and saying "You're an atheist."
However, if you ask "Do you believe in not-God ?" things look different. Would you say anyone who lacks the belief in not-God is a theist?
Theists believe gods exist.
Strong atheists believe gods do not exist.
Weak atheists don't believe either way.
Gee I don't like that way of putting it. "Don't believe one way or the other" sounds more like a garden variety agnostic to me. I think of weak atheists as not being prepared to make a summary declaration regarding the 'gods' other people may have in mind. That doesn't stop us from declaring "no" to what we imagine they have in mind or to what we think "gods" refers to (if we have any notion at all).
If they have in mind a fundy version of the xtian god, then no I don't believe in a universe creating, after life providing god. No way, no how can you convince me to take such a notion seriously. But do I KNOW it doesn't exist? Of course not. Like everyone else who was ever born, I don't 'know' why there is something instead of nothing and neither do I possess relevant evidence to counter crazy notions like an afterlife or omni-powers. In the absence of any evidence in favor of such whacky theories I disbelieve them. I just won't be wasting my time trying to argue anyone into speculating about such bullshit as I do (because fuck em').
Being a soft/weak atheist is about knowing when you do or don't have decisive arguments/evidence to offer someone who is inclined to believe fantastic things. Where I do, I'll call myself a hard/strong atheist. Where I don't, I accept the opposite tag. I don't know everything, especially not what someone hooked on believing unsupportable things needs to hear to disbelieve in them. (Fortunately that isn't my job.)