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Author Topic:   Does Atheism = No beliefs?
Larni
Member (Idle past 164 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 6 of 414 (551260)
03-22-2010 6:19 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by Den
03-22-2010 12:11 AM


Atheism is all about taking a positive position that there are no supernatural beings: that's pretty much it.
In terms of intellectual freedom I assume you mean the notion that these beings are ruled out by default.
But how less intellectual freedom is that than ruling in a supernatural being from the outset?
Surely, it's more intellectually free to be agnostic and say "I would believe in the supernatural if only there wa some decent evidence".

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 Message 1 by Den, posted 03-22-2010 12:11 AM Den has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by Dr Jack, posted 03-22-2010 6:37 AM Larni has replied

  
Larni
Member (Idle past 164 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 9 of 414 (551265)
03-22-2010 7:10 AM
Reply to: Message 8 by Den
03-22-2010 6:40 AM


In a way I agree with you that to rule some thing out with out a reason to do so is not really logical. I'm agnostic about supernaturals but the important point is that I still believe that the balance of probability (I.e that we have no evidence for the supernatural) means that the logial position is that the supernatural does not exist.
I have to say that the tone of some of your posts seem to imply that not believing in some form of the supernatural is tantamount to becoming a first class bastard.
I used to believe in Yahweh as a kid and now I don't but I'm still the same person in terms of morality as I once was.

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 Message 8 by Den, posted 03-22-2010 6:40 AM Den has not replied

  
Larni
Member (Idle past 164 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 11 of 414 (551272)
03-22-2010 8:13 AM
Reply to: Message 7 by Dr Jack
03-22-2010 6:37 AM


I don't hold the positive belief that there are no supernatural beings, that follows from the belief that you can determine how the world actually is by investigation and the fact that we find no trace of supernatural beings.
Isn't that agnosticism?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by Dr Jack, posted 03-22-2010 6:37 AM Dr Jack has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 13 by Modulous, posted 03-22-2010 8:18 AM Larni has replied
 Message 14 by Dr Jack, posted 03-22-2010 8:44 AM Larni has not replied

  
Larni
Member (Idle past 164 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 15 of 414 (551282)
03-22-2010 8:48 AM
Reply to: Message 13 by Modulous
03-22-2010 8:18 AM


No - the position that there is no supernatural is called naturalism.
Guess I'm not so up on my philosophy as I thought
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Mod
Just goes to show that there is no atheist party line if some of us don't even know the correct usage of terms, eh?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Modulous, posted 03-22-2010 8:18 AM Modulous has seen this message but not replied

  
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