What do Atheists Want?

[Jacob Samuelson]

They want to convert people... the same as most religions do.

Interesting. Is it the misery loves company type statement or some kind of Science Club type recruitment?

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

Correcting your misconceptions about atheists / atheism, is by itself already enough of a reason to answer your question.

Thank you! Correcting the misconceptions is what we all aim for in life don't you think? Is that our human purpose? or do we even have one?

 

[Segev Moran]

Well, to me science is about not about truth. It is an open ended methodology that only at minimum assumes methodological naturalism and some form of objectiveness but not necessarily only an empirical one.
But I am from a culture where we have more than one sub-set of science and what you call science is just a sub-set of science.

Science is a philosophy. It is a broad name for a multitude of purviews.
Can you give an example of what science is sub-set of?

 

[Segev Moran]

Actual Reality? How is that not a subjective statement?

I'll try to explain what I mean by Actual reality.

Colors are subjective for example. Each person perceives colors differently. This is a "Subjective reality".
Light waves and their frequencies are objective. they are the same, thus "Objective reality".
In science, when you refer to color, you do not refer to the actual color but rather the wavelength (or frequency).
So when I say "actual reality", I refer to things that can be measured regardless of how the person receiving the data interprets it.

Another example can be how you interpret an event.
Two people can experience the same event and have a very different understanding of it.
I hope I managed to explain it

 

[Ostronomos]

Thank you! Correcting the misconceptions is what we all aim for in life don't you think? Is that our human purpose? or do we even have one?

We do. To become more.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

So are you saying the longer you live, the less valuable you are? If that is the case, I should be able to buy the Mona Lisa for $1.

I'm having trouble taking this comment seriously.

Are you being obtuse on purpose?


I'll just reply with a simple question:

What would be the value of the mona lisa if there was an infinite supply of them?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Thank you! Correcting the misconceptions is what we all aim for in life don't you think? Is that our human purpose? or do we even have one?

Every human assigns his own purpose to his life.
It's something we impose on it ourselves. There's no reason to think it's imposed externally by non-human sources.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Every human assigns his own purpose to his life.
It's something we impose on it ourselves. There's no reason to think it's imposed externally by non-human sources.

Well, there is non-human sources. It is to me just biology.

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

I'll try to explain what I mean by Actual reality.

Colors are subjective for example. Each person perceives colors differently. This is a "Subjective reality".
Light waves and their frequencies are objective. they are the same, thus "Objective reality".
In science, when you refer to color, you do not refer to the actual color but rather the wavelength (or frequency).
So when I say "actual reality", I refer to things that can be measured regardless of how the person receiving the data interprets it.

Another example can be how you interpret an event.
Two people can experience the same event and have a very different understanding of it.
I hope I managed to explain it

I wonder if you have delved into quantum physics. The deeper you go into science the more you will find that 'actually reality' is forfeited by observation. The second we observe wavelengths and frequencies we have have uncontrollably processed an subjective response that affects the objective nature of its measurement. Thought is a powerful thing. Actual Reality may exist for 99.9% of the times but we cannot be certain of anything, unless we believe it to be so.

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

I'm having trouble taking this comment seriously.

Are you being obtuse on purpose?


I'll just reply with a simple question:

What would be the value of the mona lisa if there was an infinite supply of them?

The statement was made that one wouldn't want to live forever because being finite gives people meaning so to speak. I am challenging that idea with how would one get to that conclusion. What evidence do you have on living forever reduces meaning?

 

[Jacob Samuelson]

Every human assigns his own purpose to his life.
It's something we impose on it ourselves. There's no reason to think it's imposed externally by non-human sources.

If only this were true, how many people actually assign anything on themselves outside their own circumstances. My belief is that God is human or at least works through human sources. How can one independently assign themselves purpose?

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

If only this were true

It sure seems to me to be the case. I don't see anyone except humans give purpose to human lives.

, how many people actually assign anything on themselves outside their own circumstances.

Yes yes, we are a product of our environment (to certain extent at least).
That doesn't really impact what I said.

My belief is that God is human or at least works through human sources. How can one independently assign themselves purpose?

You can believe whatever. Your beliefs, or anyone else's beliefs, aren't really that important here.

Regardless of what you believe, again I see no evidence of anything other then humans giving value and purpose to human lives.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

The statement was made that one wouldn't want to live forever because being finite gives people meaning so to speak.

And I specifically clarified it further what was actually meant by that statement. You seem to have missed that, or you are purposefully ignoring it off course.

I am challenging that idea with how would one get to that conclusion

I have no idea how you think you are challenging that idea by then asking if the Mona Lisa should be only 1 buck if it is old.

And you prefixed it with the following gem:

So are you saying the longer you live, the less valuable you are?


So clearly you didn't comprehend the statement given. You still don't seem to.

I'll say it again: if life wasn't finite, it would be less valuable.
If death wasn't part of the equation, then life wouldn't have value.

. What evidence do you have on living forever reduces meaning?

I already told you. Note also how you just changed the wording there also. I didn't say life wouldn't have "meaning". I used the word "value".

You might want to read with a bit more attention. You managed to miscomprehend / misread almost everything it seems.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I wonder if you have delved into quantum physics. The deeper you go into science the more you will find that 'actually reality' is forfeited by observation. The second we observe wavelengths and frequencies we have have uncontrollably processed an subjective response that affects the objective nature of its measurement. Thought is a powerful thing. Actual Reality may exist for 99.9% of the times but we cannot be certain of anything, unless we believe it to be so.

You should try and stay clear off the sciency-sounding quantum woo.

Perhaps ask a physicist to explain it properly to you so that you may understand that it doesn't mean what you think it means (or what that con-men you heard this from claims it means).

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

I am not an atheist. I veer under the pantheistic side of syntheism. Syntheism however accepts both pantheists and atheists. And, I believe I can speak for other syntheists by saying this, but ultimately what we want is a more meaningful life, from the development of ways to express our thoughts and ideas more clearly. This website is a tool to do this. And ultimately, I would say what I want more of overall can be described in one word. Extropy. I think a lot of anti-nihilist atheists and atheistic syntheists would agree with me.