RE: Is atheism a belief?
December 11, 2018 at 11:40 am
(This post was last modified: December 11, 2018 at 11:42 am by Simon Moon.)
(December 11, 2018 at 8:01 am)Agnostico Wrote: Now we're talking. I was about to post a new topic on a thread but thanks Nakara for providing some food for thought.
I like the analogy, its the best one I've heard.
If I ask "do u believe there is a God?" there is yes, no or I don't know. Three options, not 420.
Sorry, but belief does not work that way.
Belief is defined by cognitive scientists and analytic philosophers as, the psychological state in which one accepts a premise or proposition as being true (or likely true).
Belief is a binary mental state. Either one accepts the premise that a god exists as being true, or they don't accept that premise. There is no 3rd possibility.
If one responds "yes" to the question, "do you believe (accept as being true) at least one god exists", they are a theist. Any other answer to that question is atheism.
"I don't know" is not an answer to questions about belief. It is an answer to questions about knowledge.
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.
