Hi Pippy, Welcome to the forums!
You've raised some interesting points. Let me see if I can help.
Evidence, as I understand, is anything that can be demonstrated over and over again by persons. It is observable and demonstrable. It is anything we can see, and in some cases it is things we cannot see but detect by other means.
Every person alive takes on a few pieces of evidence, namely, the earth is round, gravity exists, you need to breathe oxygen to survive. What an atheist does is tries to have the most reliable view of the world, which consequently means discarding things which cannot be proven.
When you talk about each person having their own reality, I think you're getting a bit lost. If everyone's reality is true to them, then we might as well cease all enquiries into the natural world. That would mean not learning anymore about disease, natural disasters and so on and how to prevent them because each reality is different to each person. The idea of reality being relative is idiotic (I believe), because it leaves us with nothing, and it takes us no where.
You misunderstand atheism. Atheism is simply non-belief. Many atheists are what you would
agnostic atheists, which means they don't believe in god, but they do not assert that they are 100% sure. Of course there are still atheists around who belief, without any shred of doubt that god does not exist. But most atheists simply believe that it is more reasonable to not believe in god than to believe in him, as there is more scientific evidence in favour of god not existing.
A definition might say:
Atheism - non-belief in any god or gods.
That's it, nothing more, nothing less.
Have a look at Kyuu's thread for more info: Myths & Truths About Atheism
You've raised some interesting points. Let me see if I can help.
(April 23, 2009 at 8:46 pm)Pippy Wrote: please explain, what is evidence?
Evidence, as I understand, is anything that can be demonstrated over and over again by persons. It is observable and demonstrable. It is anything we can see, and in some cases it is things we cannot see but detect by other means.
Every person alive takes on a few pieces of evidence, namely, the earth is round, gravity exists, you need to breathe oxygen to survive. What an atheist does is tries to have the most reliable view of the world, which consequently means discarding things which cannot be proven.
When you talk about each person having their own reality, I think you're getting a bit lost. If everyone's reality is true to them, then we might as well cease all enquiries into the natural world. That would mean not learning anymore about disease, natural disasters and so on and how to prevent them because each reality is different to each person. The idea of reality being relative is idiotic (I believe), because it leaves us with nothing, and it takes us no where.
(April 23, 2009 at 8:46 pm)Pippy Wrote: I think to say "I know there is no God" is as foolish as "I know there is God". In fact, they are much the same thought. So only to add my log on the fire, I see atheism as a disbelief in gods, or a believing that there is no gods. To make a claim to any fundamental truth outside of your own reality is disingenuous.
You misunderstand atheism. Atheism is simply non-belief. Many atheists are what you would
agnostic atheists, which means they don't believe in god, but they do not assert that they are 100% sure. Of course there are still atheists around who belief, without any shred of doubt that god does not exist. But most atheists simply believe that it is more reasonable to not believe in god than to believe in him, as there is more scientific evidence in favour of god not existing.
A definition might say:
Atheism - non-belief in any god or gods.
That's it, nothing more, nothing less.
Have a look at Kyuu's thread for more info: Myths & Truths About Atheism
"I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability." Oscar Wilde
My Blog | Why I Don't Believe in God
My Blog | Why I Don't Believe in God
