Posts: 667
Threads: 25
Joined: December 18, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 3:53 am
Christians never fail to impress me with their utter lack of logic and ability to use non sequiters. Esquilax is right about axioms. Axioms must be self evident.
Note that the US constitution is wrong - it is NOT self evident that all men are created equal. It is nothing more than an opinion.
Posts: 29590
Threads: 116
Joined: February 22, 2011
Reputation:
159
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 4:02 am
(December 23, 2013 at 3:53 am)là bạn điên Wrote: Christians never fail to impress me with their utter lack of logic and ability to use non sequiters. Esquilax is right about axioms. Axioms must be self evident.
That's not technically correct. I'd also dispute the validity of cogito ergo sum, but these are fine points. Insisting that axioms be self-evident would appear to be a form of foundationalism. There's nothing that requires an axiom to be self-evident, and many useful axioms aren't (this crops up a lot in mathematics).
Posts: 11260
Threads: 61
Joined: January 5, 2013
Reputation:
123
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 4:32 am
(December 23, 2013 at 4:02 am)rasetsu Wrote: That's not technically correct. I'd also dispute the validity of cogito ergo sum, but these are fine points. Insisting that axioms be self-evident would appear to be a form of foundationalism. There's nothing that requires an axiom to be self-evident, and many useful axioms aren't (this crops up a lot in mathematics).
Okay, I'm interested: how would you go about doing that?
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Posts: 667
Threads: 25
Joined: December 18, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 4:37 am
(December 23, 2013 at 4:02 am)rasetsu Wrote: (December 23, 2013 at 3:53 am)là bạn điên Wrote: Christians never fail to impress me with their utter lack of logic and ability to use non sequiters. Esquilax is right about axioms. Axioms must be self evident.
That's not technically correct. I'd also dispute the validity of cogito ergo sum, but these are fine points. Insisting that axioms be self-evident would appear to be a form of foundationalism. There's nothing that requires an axiom to be self-evident, and many useful axioms aren't (this crops up a lot in mathematics).
No, you are right, I only briefly looked at Philosophy of mathematics and remembering back maths does have non self evident axioms. However I am essentially a foundationalist ,though more of Goldman's reliablism. I have absolutely no time for Post Modernism/Rorty/Derrida etc.
Posts: 45985
Threads: 538
Joined: July 24, 2013
Reputation:
109
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 4:37 am
(This post was last modified: December 23, 2013 at 4:38 am by BrianSoddingBoru4.)
Quote:Given that atheists don't believe in absolute truth.
Who sez?
Quote:Without absolute truth no one can discern a lie
Wrong. For example, it can be absolutely true that granite is harder than chalk. This doesn't prevent me from spotting the lie when my 5'8" neighbor insists that he is 11 feet tall.
Quote:Knowing something requires discerning truth from lies.
It requires nothing of the sort.
Quote:Atheists can't know anything.
Well, I as an atheist can know that one should never seek to establish a true conclusion from a false premise.
Boru
Quote:Note that the US constitution is wrong - it is NOT self evident that all men are created equal.
psst - that's the Declaration of Independence, not the US Constitution.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
Posts: 667
Threads: 25
Joined: December 18, 2013
Reputation:
13
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 5:18 am
(This post was last modified: December 23, 2013 at 5:18 am by là bạn điên.)
Quote:psst - that's the Declaration of Independence, not the US Constitution.
Thank you for your correction
Posts: 29590
Threads: 116
Joined: February 22, 2011
Reputation:
159
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 6:26 am
(December 23, 2013 at 4:32 am)Esquilax Wrote: (December 23, 2013 at 4:02 am)rasetsu Wrote: That's not technically correct. I'd also dispute the validity of cogito ergo sum, but these are fine points. Insisting that axioms be self-evident would appear to be a form of foundationalism. There's nothing that requires an axiom to be self-evident, and many useful axioms aren't (this crops up a lot in mathematics).
Okay, I'm interested: how would you go about doing that?
Some other time.
Posts: 6990
Threads: 89
Joined: January 6, 2012
Reputation:
104
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 6:35 am
(December 23, 2013 at 12:01 am)orangebox21 Wrote: Given that atheists don't believe in absolute truth.
Without absolute truth no one can discern a lie.
Knowing something requires discerning truth from lies.
Atheists can't know anything.
Discuss.
Posts: 150
Threads: 1
Joined: October 7, 2013
Reputation:
4
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 7:43 am
Quote:Can an Atheist know anything?
What's the point of asking a bunch of atheists that?
They can't answer if they don't know anything.
That would be knowing something.
I think so anyway, but what would I know.
Your plastic pal who's fun to be with!
Posts: 1322
Threads: 70
Joined: November 18, 2013
Reputation:
16
RE: Can an Atheist know anything?
December 23, 2013 at 7:52 pm
(December 23, 2013 at 12:01 am)orangebox21 Wrote: Given that atheists don't believe in absolute truth.
Without absolute truth no one can discern a lie.
Knowing something requires discerning truth from lies.
Atheists can't know anything.
Discuss.
All atheists I know (I'm including myself) accept that there is an absolute truth. They maintain that science is beginning to understand this absolute truth. They merely do not claim to completely understand this absolute truth. I have never heard of anyone who completely rejects absolute truth. I think you are confusing divine truth with absolute truth.
You second proposition is complete bullshit. Even if we assume that nothing is objectively true (which would be ridiculous) we can still assume things to be relatively true.
No, because you can know something that is wrong if you truly believe it. Christians for example know that god is true.
Your last proposition is hilarious.
|