Atheism is not a default position

[`mud]

ignorance of the existence of gods anywhere and everywhere
but not definitively !
~
'mud

 

[Desert Snake]

my default position is theism.

ymmv

 

[Willamena]

ignorance of the existence of gods anywhere and everywhere
but not definitively !
~
'mud

No, just ignorance.

 

[`mud]

But to overcome that,
we teach,
maybe that's the problem !
Now I get it !!!
~
'mud

 

[Thief]

But to overcome that,
we teach,
maybe that's the problem !
Now I get it !!!
~
'mud

not sure what you got there...
is it contagious?

 

[Milton Platt]

I predict this thread will run over the 3,000 marker.

all the while.....atheism is NOT the default position.

To not believe until you have sufficient evidence seems to me to be the default, or best, position. Are you quibbling over choice of word, or the concept?
To choose the opposite (believe until proved otherwise) would require you to believe in all things until someone figures out how to prove a negative.

 

[Willamena]

To not believe until you have sufficient evidence seems to me to be the default, or best, position. Are you quibbling over choice of word, or the concept?
To choose the opposite (believe until proved otherwise) would require you to believe in all things until someone figures out how to prove a negative.

That's like saying not liking vanilla is the default position until you taste vanilla. It's absurd. What if there is no "vanilla"?

Not-the-Mamma is not the default of Mamma.

I am not Not-the-Theist. I am Your Atheist.

 

[McBell]

That's like saying not liking vanilla is the default position until you taste vanilla. It's absurd. What if there is no "vanilla"?

Not-the-Mamma is not the default of Mamma.

I am not Not-the-Theist. I am Your Atheist.

How do you figure?

One is either a theist or an atheist.
But since this has already gone over your head, I am not sure why I am bothering.

 

[Willamena]

How do you figure?

One is either a theist or an atheist.

Or neither.

I recognize the other option, that's how I figure.

 

[McBell]

Or neither.

AH, the lets play with the definitions route of argument.

My apologies.
I am not interested in playing Pigeon Chess.

 

[Milton Platt]

AH, the lets play with the definitions route of argument.

My apologies.
I am not interested in playing Pigeon Chess.

Well, here are pantheists.....and deists.......I guess Mestemia has a point. They are somewhat different in their approach to believing the absurd.

 

[Shad]

Exactly - they don't believe in god. Even you can see that.

They're technically atheists, just like the sperm in your nuts, the eggs in the hatch, the zygotes in the wombs, and the infants in the cradles.

As are rocks. This renders the definition illogical via reductio ad absurdum counter since theism is an ontological claim. Rocks do not consider ontological claims nor do infants, zygotes, eggs, etc.

 

[Desert Snake]

Or neither.

I recognize the other option, that's how I figure.

the common configuration for that used to be agnostic.

 

[Willamena]

the common configuration for that used to be agnostic.

Only commonly.

 

[`mud]

I don't have any way but common !
~
'mud

 

[Thief]

As are rocks. This renders the definition illogical via reductio ad absurdum counter since theism is an ontological claim. Rocks do not consider ontological claims nor do infants, zygotes, eggs, etc.

the items you listed are ignorant and incapable.
such is atheism?

 

[jonathan180iq]

That's like saying not liking vanilla is the default position until you taste vanilla. It's absurd. What if there is no "vanilla"?

This is a good example, but not because of how you're using it.

The default position for flavors cannot be a preference for vanilla, as that would be a positive. The default could only ever be a lack of preferences, because there have been no other flavor experiences to compare. The newborn has never experienced any flavor other than amniotic fluid and is entirely unaware of any of flavor's existence. So there could only be a lack of favorite flavor, if for nothing else than because the newborn has tasted nothing else in their life. The default favorite flavor would be....nothing.

As with God, until someone is exposed to a flavor, they cannot make a decision based on their favorite flavor. This means that the default flavor of choice is.... nothing.
When someone has no faith in a deity, we call them an atheist.

 

[jonathan180iq]

As are rocks. This renders the definition illogical via reductio ad absurdum counter since theism is an ontological claim. Rocks do not consider ontological claims nor do infants, zygotes, eggs, etc.

Of course it's absurd - but it's still factually accurate.

Those things aren't atheists because the issue of belief only applies to things which can believe.
The point of their example is that newborns are a relatively blank slate, devoid of decisions or even of the knowledge that there are decisions to be made. They cannot, necessarily, believe in god - and as such would be considered atheists, at least implicitly.

And yes - calling a baby an atheist is somewhat absurd. But it is still factually accurate, to the point that we can then discuss the nature and evolution of faith in a person's life.

 

[Thief]

This is a good example, but not because of how you're using it.

The default position for flavors cannot be a preference for vanilla, as that would be a positive. The default could only ever be a lack of preferences, because there have been no other flavor experiences to compare. The newborn has never experienced any flavor other than amniotic fluid and is entirely unaware of any of flavor's existence. So there could only be a lack of favorite flavor, if for nothing else than because the newborn has tasted nothing else in their life. The default favorite flavor would be....nothing.

As with God, until someone is exposed to a flavor, they cannot make a decision based on their favorite flavor. This means that the default flavor of choice is.... nothing.
When someone has no faith in a deity, we call them an atheist.

flavor?.....really?.....as if atheism is a matter of taste?

please.....

God made ice cream.
I believe it!

 

[jonathan180iq]

flavor?.....really?.....as if atheism is a matter of taste?

Thief, you prefer faith in god over the alternative, don't you? How is that different than preferring vanilla over chocolate, or over someone who despises sweets?
It is absolutely a matter of taste. It's a personal preference and nothing more.