Philosophy Question: Is atheism real?

L

LCL

Well-known member
It is defined as a disbelief or the lack of belief in Gods or God.

I propose that there is no such thing as atheism. Here is my reasoning:

In order to be an atheist, you must know how to define a God or Gods. Therefore, if you can define a God or Gods, then you are denying what you are defining. In conclusion, atheists have to deny an exisistence of what they believe exists.

Take for instance, I am told that apples don't exist. My friend, the theist, tells me that they do exist. He describes them to me in great detail. They grow in trees and orchards. They come in red or green. They have an outer skin which can be peeled. You can eat them.

The atheist listens to this and has to acknowledge this in order to deny there are no apples. In other words, I understand what you describe to me is an apple, therefore I have to believe what is believed to be an apple in order to say there is no such thing as an apple.

So, now I ask. Is atheism real?
 
 
LCL said:
It is defined as a disbelief or the lack of belief in Gods or God.

I propose that there is no such thing as atheism. Here is my reasoning:

In order to be an atheist, you must know how to define a God or Gods. Therefore, if you can define a God or Gods, then you are denying what you are defining. In conclusion, atheists have to deny an exisistence of what they believe exists.

Take for instance, I am told that apples don't exist. My friend, the theist, tells me that they do exist. He describes them to me in great detail. They grow in trees and orchards. They come in red or green. They have an outer skin which can be peeled. You can eat them.

The atheist listens to this and has to acknowledge this in order to deny there are no apples. In other words, I understand what you describe to me is an apple, therefore I have to believe what is believed to be an apple in order to say there is no such thing as an apple.

So, now I ask. Is atheism real?
Click to expand...
Can God create a boulder too heavy for him to lift?
 
LCL said:
It is defined as a disbelief or the lack of belief in Gods or God.

I propose that there is no such thing as atheism. Here is my reasoning:

In order to be an atheist, you must know how to define a God or Gods. Therefore, if you can define a God or Gods, then you are denying what you are defining. In conclusion, atheists have to deny an exisistence of what they believe exists.

Take for instance, I am told that apples don't exist. My friend, the theist, tells me that they do exist. He describes them to me in great detail. They grow in trees and orchards. They come in red or green. They have an outer skin which can be peeled. You can eat them.

The atheist listens to this and has to acknowledge this in order to deny there are no apples. In other words, I understand what you describe to me is an apple, therefore I have to believe what is believed to be an apple in order to say there is no such thing as an apple.

So, now I ask. Is atheism real?
Click to expand...
Was it a good sermon in Church this morning?
 
LCL said:
It is defined as a disbelief or the lack of belief in Gods or God.

I propose that there is no such thing as atheism. Here is my reasoning:

In order to be an atheist, you must know how to define a God or Gods. Therefore, if you can define a God or Gods, then you are denying what you are defining. In conclusion, atheists have to deny an exisistence of what they believe exists.

Take for instance, I am told that apples don't exist. My friend, the theist, tells me that they do exist. He describes them to me in great detail. They grow in trees and orchards. They come in red or green. They have an outer skin which can be peeled. You can eat them.

The atheist listens to this and has to acknowledge this in order to deny there are no apples. In other words, I understand what you describe to me is an apple, therefore I have to believe what is believed to be an apple in order to say there is no such thing as an apple.

So, now I ask. Is atheism real?
Click to expand...
I would contend that just because something can be defined does not mean it is real.

A unicorn has a definition yet it is not real.
 
LCL said:
It is defined as a disbelief or the lack of belief in Gods or God.

I propose that there is no such thing as atheism. Here is my reasoning:

In order to be an atheist, you must know how to define a God or Gods.
Click to expand...
Something which does not exist cannot be defined.
 
One can choose to believe as an atheist, that there definitively is no God.

It is the height of arrogance, and completely contrary to "science" to claim an atheist philosophy, though, imho. Anything past an agnostic posture is def "overplaying one's hand".
 
If Atheism means devoid of belief in "traditional" deities, then yes it exists. But people tend to fill the void, as we see today most apparently in Progressive circles.

Even psychopaths have a code, even if twisted. No human can truly be devoid of a sense of how people should behave.
 
Yes, of course, atheism exists. Many things can be defined that you don't believe in. The boogeyman, Spider-Man, unicorns, witches/warlocks/wizards, bigfoot, Santa Claus, etc. Even other gods that you don't personally believe in: Allah, Zeus, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, etc. can all be defined and yet you can deny their existence.

Atheism is the lack of "belief" in a god or gods. Agnosticism is the lack of "knowledge". You can be both.
 
BlackHawk said:
Yes, of course, atheism exists. Many things can be defined that you don't believe in. The boogeyman, Spider-Man, unicorns, witches/warlocks/wizards, bigfoot, Santa Claus, etc. Even other gods that you don't personally believe in: Allah, Zeus, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, etc. can all be defined and yet you can deny their existence.

Atheism is the lack of "belief" in a god or gods. Agnosticism is the lack of "knowledge". You can be both.
Click to expand...
He lives! 😲
 
chs1971 said:
Something which does not exist cannot be defined.
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Most engineers I know would disagree. Their life is all about defining the parameters of something that does not exist and bringing it into existence under a careful defined structure.

I would say atheism exists in the minds of people, but in actual practice people will elevate something to the level of highest importance and reverence, which is their god.

To the OP, if I define a geriatric-king as a person who lives more than 500 years, we can then all debate if any such person now exists or ever did exist, and we know with certainty how such a person would be defined. So I deny the notion we can not define something that does not exist. The atheist would certainly believe the religious has defined his concept as to what something that does not exist consists of through faith.

Does an atheist denial of my God mean my God does not exist?

I can deny the existence of a geriatric-king (people who lived for more than 500 years), but while today there may be none, does not disprove their existence.
 
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