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How can anyone be an atheist?

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
Why would I have to do that?

You have read enough philosophy to have solved the problem of the evil demon in skepticism, right? I mean you don't have google the evil demon and I don't need to tell you that it is the radical skepticism of Rene Descartes. You already knew this and you know the connection between objective reality and the evil demon.

So why don't you answer it without googling it? Just explain how solipsism, the evil demon and objective reality is related and how you have solved, because you know what skepticism is, right? And you know the differences between all the different forms of skepticism and you know what kind/methodology of skepticism you come from or use, right?
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I have an idea in my head about a unicorn that is playing poker in the core of Saturn. The great eye, that giant storm, is the entrance.

Is this idea reflective of reality, just because I can have that idea?
I'm an artist. When people assemble otherwise disparate concepts and images into some new, imaginary scenario, I take particular notice. Because I know that the particular choices and arrangements involved can illuminate "the truth of them" better than any set of facts about them ever could. You keep trying to imply that imagination is somehow 'false', or 'unreal', and it's neither. It's basically an intellectual sorting mechanism that we use all the time, to generate our presumed conception of reality moment to moment.

You have to try and understand that everything you think you know to be true about yourself and the world that you exist in, is imaginary. It's based on physically experienced interactions, but the sensations those interaction convey to our brains get arranged in our minds into an overall "picture" (that we call "reality") by our imaginations. Our imaginations are a crucial mechanism of our cognition. Together with the "facts" of our interactive experience, they create our reality.
Proof is for math. In natural science and matters of such existence, we speak of evidence only.
Theism is neither a math problem nor a scientific question. It's a philosophical proposition. And philosophy is not about belief (or proof, or evidence). It's it's about logical reasoning.

The theist proposition is not required to "prove itself true", to be valid. The theist proposition is not required to "make you believe in it" to be a viable philosophical position, to you or to anyone. All that is required of it is that the course of reasoning that leads to it holds up, logically. Until you understand and accept this, you will ever be able to reasonably or effectively discuss or debate theism. And you will never be able to defend atheism.
I never ask for "proof". I ask for evidence. "proof" is for math.
And evidence is for science. This discussion is in neither of those categories of human endeavor. Until you understand this you aren't even in the "ballpark", let alone the "game".
 
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mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I'm an artist. When people assemble otherwise disparate concepts and images into some new, imaginary scenario, I take particular notice. Because I know that the particular choices and arrangements involved can illuminate "the truth of you" better than any set of facts about you ever could. You keep trying to imply that imagination is somehow 'false', or 'unreal', and it's neither. It's basically an intellectual sorting mechanism that we use all the time, to generate our presumed conception of reality in the moment.

You have to try and understand that everything you think you know to be true about yourself and the world that you exist in, is imaginary. It's based on physically experienced interactions, but the sensations those interaction convey to our brains get arranged into an overall "picture" (that we call "reality") by our imaginations. Our imaginations are a crucial mechanism of our cognition. Together, they create our reality.
Theism is neither a math problem nor a scientific question. It's philosophical proposition. And philosophy is not about belief (nor proof, nor evidence). It's it's about logical reasoning.

The theist proposition is not required to "prove itself true", to be valid. The theist proposition is not required to "make you believe in it" to be a viable philosophical position. All that is required of it is the logical course of reasoning that leads to it. Until you understand and accept this, you will ever be able to reasonably or effectively be able to discuss or debate theism. And you will never be able to defend atheism.
And evidence is for science. This discussion is in neither of those categories of human endeavor. Until you understand this you aren't even in the "ballpark", let alone the "game".

Okay, you are a rationalist. I won't bother you anymore and reference you. You do it differently than me. I am a radical skeptic. I don't believe in reasoning like you.
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Just explain how solipsism
Solipsism to me, is absolutely rubbish and meaningless. And couldn't care less.

the evil demon
Since you do not care to explain what you personally mean, I have to google some of the things trying to figure it out. Don't worry I don't mind doing that. So had a quick look at it, and seems to follow along the lines of Solipsism. That the world could just be an illusion. Honestly don't care about that either.

So now you explain why I should leave out objectivity, unless I have solved Solipsism?
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Okay, you are a rationalist. I won't bother you anymore and reference you. You do it differently than me. I am a radical skeptic. I don't believe in reasoning like you.
What we "believe in" is our own business. (If it's any business at all.) It's not the substance of the proposition under discussion/debate.
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
Thought so :)

Could you post the whole answer. Now you are apparently it seems just dishonest, How subjective and mental of you. What happen to evidence, verification and truth. And what is that with the smiley. That is subjective and mental. Nobody will understand you now!
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Could you post the whole answer. Now you are apparently it seems just dishonest, How subjective and mental of you. What happen to evidence, verification and truth. And what is that with the smiley. That is subjective and mental. Nobody will understand you now!
Sure, np

Me:
Explain to me why solipsism make sense to you?


You:
I can't, because you subjectively and mentally don't accept the subjective and mental.

You seem unaware for some cases, when you are subjective and mental. I can't solve that for you.

Me:
Thought so :)


You:
Could you post the whole answer. Now you are apparently it seems just dishonest, How subjective and mental of you. What happen to evidence, verification and truth. And what is that with the smiley. That is subjective and mental. Nobody will understand you now!
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
Yes, please.
Regards
Ok thanks,

So how would you do that? or what do you think is required in form of scientific verification for making it true?

I might still misunderstand what you mean, because its not really something that can be verified as I see it, it is a "position". Like if you said "I don't think there are sufficient evidences for me to believe in unicorns" and to that I told you "You haven't scientifically verified that position yet, have you?", how would you do that? or even see a reason for doing so?
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Ok thanks,

So how would you do that? or what do you think is required in form of scientific verification for making it true?

I might still misunderstand what you mean, because its not really something that can be verified as I see it, it is a "position". Like if you said "I don't think there are sufficient evidences for me to believe in unicorns" and to that I told you "You haven't scientifically verified that position yet, have you?", how would you do that? or even see a reason for doing so?
How then that makes their (the Atheism people's) position/no-position make any stronger, please? Science does not support them? Does it, please?

Regards
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
How then that makes their (the Atheism people's) position/no-position make any stronger, please? Science does not support them? Does it, please?

Regards
Atheism have nothing to do with science. Atheists in general rely or prefer science to give us explanations, whereas theists in certain cases, might prefer a divine explanation. But science in it self, have nothing to do with atheism.

(A)theist is the opposite of a Theist

Atheist
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

Theist
a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

So just to make it completely clear, it would be like me scientifically having to determine whether a person is a theist or not. A theist is also just a position a person take, which is that they believe in a God.
 
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paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Atheism have nothing to do with science. Atheists in general rely or prefer science to give us explanations, whereas theists in certain cases, might prefer a divine explanation. But science in it self, have nothing to do with atheism.

(A)theist is the opposite of a Theist

Atheist
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

Theist
a person who believes in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

So just to make it completely clear, it would be like me scientifically having to determine whether a person is a theist or not. A theist is also just a position a person take, which is that they believe in a God.

So, one agrees if we conclude that Atheism is unscientific and unreasonable.
Right, please?

Regards
 

Nimos

Well-Known Member
So, one agrees if we conclude that Atheism is unscientific and unreasonable.
Right, please?

Regards
Its unscientific yes.

But not unreasonable. Do you think a person is unreasonable if they don't believe in unicorns, ghosts or dragons like you see in fantasy?
 
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