Religion

Major Nikon

(36,900 posts)

23. How many theists do you know allow for the possibility that god does not exist?

Fri Mar 22, 2019, 08:37 AM

Mar 2019

All theistic religions in which I'm aware base their entire theology on the certainty that one or more deities do in fact exist. So even if it were true that atheists must believe in non-existence of deities (and it isn't), then impeaching this position must also impeach the theists' unprovable position. Then if one uses reason to analyze the dichotomy you find that one of those two claims is quite extraordinary while the other isn't at all.

The argument Gleiser and you are making is actually a false dichotomy and is fallacious. Atheism doesn't require belief of non-existence of deities, only the rejection of belief in deities. Most atheists are apatheists.

Even if one buys into the false dichotomy Gleiser is trying to establish, his reasoning is quite foolish. Unprovable assumptions are used quite frequently in the realm of science and without them our understanding of the universe would be extremely limited.

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Dartmouth physicist, known for doubting skeptics, wins 2019 Templeton Prize [View all] guillaumeb Mar 2019 OP

Pandering shit gets pandering shit prize. enki23 Mar 2019 #1

I agree with the professor!❤ Karadeniz Mar 2019 #2

About what, exactly? Mariana Mar 2019 #5

I think the professor's point is that one can't be certain of deitys nonexitence, so atheism Karadeniz Mar 2019 #20

Atheism does not require certainty. Mariana Mar 2019 #21

How many theists do you know allow for the possibility that god does not exist? Major Nikon Mar 2019 #23

I can't be CERTAIN that Zeus, Posiden, Thor, etc. DON'T exist? Really? bitterross Mar 2019 #29

Whether they understand physics.. I dunno, uriel1972 Mar 2019 #3

He sees atheism incorrectly. Perhaps some new glasses? MineralMan Mar 2019 #4

Who defines what atheists are? guillaumeb Mar 2019 #8

Certainly not you. Act_of_Reparation Mar 2019 #10

Each atheist defines it for him or herself. MineralMan Mar 2019 #11

So that shows his claim that atheists in general "believe in non-belief" is wrong muriel_volestrangler Mar 2019 #24

He is a physicist. And.... guillaumeb Mar 2019 #25

I thought the "Professor of Natural Philosophy" title refered to philosophy muriel_volestrangler Mar 2019 #28

You mean the same Templeton Foundation thas has ties to the Cato Instutute... Act_of_Reparation Mar 2019 #6

He said: guillaumeb Mar 2019 #7

Yes, he said something stupid. Act_of_Reparation Mar 2019 #9

Well, he's full of crap, then, if he said that. MineralMan Mar 2019 #12

Nice company the Templeton Foundation keeps, eh? MineralMan Mar 2019 #13

The Templeton Prize is not only bullshit edhopper Mar 2019 #14

It's telling. Act_of_Reparation Mar 2019 #15

Any port in a storm. MineralMan Mar 2019 #16

A short interview of Marcelo Gleiser by Scientific American. Jim__ Mar 2019 #17

Thank you for the link. I wil lread it later. eom guillaumeb Mar 2019 #19

... Major Nikon Mar 2019 #18

That gif is a workhorse Lordquinton Mar 2019 #22

He writes on this blog.. full text mitch96 Mar 2019 #26

I read the first page. guillaumeb Mar 2019 #27

Finally someone said it. Atheism is not compatible with science: DetlefK Mar 2019 #30

One can be a scientist, guillaumeb Mar 2019 #32

Not provable/disprovable for science, but who says it's the only way? DetlefK Mar 2019 #34

Claims about a deity can be disproven Lordquinton Mar 2019 #35

Meh Templeton Loki Liesmith Mar 2019 #31

Understood. eom guillaumeb Mar 2019 #33