RE: Atheist struggling to answer a question i often propose to myself
August 24, 2017 at 6:35 pm
(This post was last modified: August 24, 2017 at 6:38 pm by Whateverist.)
(August 24, 2017 at 4:58 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:(August 24, 2017 at 4:45 pm)Whateverist Wrote: The former which our new member brought up at least keeps in mind perspective where yours just glibly assumes things we are in no position to know.
That is precisely my objection to atheism...it devolves into nihilism. When you say "we are in no position to know" you are basically saying that reason is unreliable and that the world is not intelligible. Holding either or both is self-defeating.
To point out some limits to reason is hardly the same thing as concluding the world is not intelligible. It is in contrast to the largely intelligible world that your confident claims regarding what is beyond the world makes no sense. If you say you prefer to imagine there is an absolute uber-omega fine. But if you insist that because you can imagine it it must be so, you go too far. By all means, have it your way for private purposes. But don't be surprised when those without your kinks are not persuaded.
(August 24, 2017 at 6:15 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:(August 24, 2017 at 5:56 pm)mordant Wrote: Nothing about atheism requires this "negative stance" if by that you mean taking up a knowledge position that there are no gods. It only requires seeing no valid reason to afford belief to any deities.
A proposition is either true or not true. So with respect to the proposition "God(s) exist." there are only two options. The proposition is either true, the theist stance, or it is not true, the atheist stance. The meaningful definition of atheism I have given does not force atheists to claim metaphysical knowledge; but rather asks them to own where they stand with respect to the question.
(Well, maybe there is a third option called 'I don't care' but I do not seriously believe any AF member falls into that category.)
Well, I think it is possible to be interested in why humankind has been so taken by god belief and why so many still are without having interest in the question whether literal gods are out there in the cosmos.
