Atheists and Abstracts

[Ponder This]

Historically it has been theists that have explored abstracts and the pursuit of science; so why do you suppose atheists might believe theists to be disillusioned?

No, why would you think that?
If you want to play that game it should also be highlighted that atheism didn't exist to a significant degree until the last 150 years. Since that time atheist thinkers have made stunning breakthroughs in numerous areas, so much so, that theists are no longer on the vanguard and are struggling to keep up.

its no game. it just historically that theists have been on the leading edge of most research in all sciences. even einstein wasn't an atheist. he was an advocate for buddhism; which isn't exactly a dyed in the wool atheist.

Again though, in the last 150 years, it has not been theists who have been on the bleeding edge.

I stand unconvinced that theism as it is now understood has much of a historical existence. Until perhaps the Industrial Revolution people did not often have the luxury to take refuge into vanity beliefs.

This is all very strange to me and incredibly speculative. Not simply that we would presume to know the inner most thoughts of the greatest minds of history, but to have the audacity to declare correlations without a detailed collection and accounting of data. The ability to do this does not appear to me to be correlated with any particular belief systems (theist or atheist) - from my highly subjective and statistically insignificant opinion. I speculate that it is a human trait we all share.
I'll call it "Having an Imagination".

 

[Fool]

This is all very strange to me and incredibly speculative. Not simply that we would presume to know the inner most thoughts of the greatest minds of history, but to have the audacity to declare correlations without a detailed collection and accounting of data. The ability to do this does not appear to me to be correlated with any particular belief systems (theist or atheist) - from my highly subjective and statistically insignificant opinion. I speculate that it is a human trait we all share.
I'll call it "Having an Imagination".

Einstein said imagination was everything. it is a preview of life's coming attractions.

 

[ChristineM]

yes, but believing in a personal god isn't a part of buddhist theology. the only exception would be the non-self as a temporal deity, or maya, or manifestation.

I was simply giving examples of how Einstein felt, and wrote when people tried to profit by misrepresenting his beliefs. There are many people who do and it's really kind of sad.

 

[Fool]

I was simply giving examples of how Einstein felt, and wrote when people tried to profit by misrepresenting his beliefs. There are many people who do and it's really kind of sad.

agreed

 

[Polymath257]

Would an atheist have a harder time understanding, accepting, and pursuing an abstract because of lack of evidence and/or experience?

I am a mathematician. Mathematics is usually regarded as a highly abstract subject and I seem to do very well with it. And, yes I am an atheist.

 

[Desert Snake]

yes, but believing in a personal god isn't a part of buddhist theology. the only exception would be the non-self as a temporal deity, or maya, or manifestation.

Huh? Many theists dont have a personal deity idea, it isnt required.

 

[Ben Dhyan]

I am a mathematician. Mathematics is usually regarded as a highly abstract subject and I seem to do very well with it. And, yes I am an atheist.

Precisely, and I respect your talents to this end, but for me the religious life is the go, and the real is more important than the abstract representation of the real.

 

[viole]

Historically it has been theists that have explored abstracts and the pursuit of science; so why do you suppose atheists might believe theists to be disillusioned?

Because if they did not, they would not be atheists.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Would an atheist have a harder time understanding, accepting, and pursuing an abstract because of lack of evidence and/or experience?

No. There's no connection between the two.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Historically it has been theists that have explored abstracts and the pursuit of science; so why do you suppose atheists might believe theists to be disillusioned?

So... did you actually mean to use the word "disillusioned?" The meaning of which is:

to have been freed from or deprived of illusion, belief, idealism, etc.; disenchanted

As an atheist myself, I have to say that I haven't met a theist yet that I felt had been "freed from [the] illusion" that their particular brand of theism presents. I mean... if they were "disillusioned", an atheists take on that would be that they were no longer theists.

Perhaps I'm missing some sort of nuance in the way you're meaning to use it?

Not to be explicitly insulting to theists... but perhaps you meant "delusional?"

 

[suncowiam]

Would an atheist have a harder time understanding, accepting, and pursuing an abstract because of lack of evidence and/or experience?

No. An atheist wouldn't give a rat's behind and move on to something else.

Unless that "abstract" ( ) was causing society to harm itself for lack of evidence and/or experience..

 

[Fool]

So... did you actually mean to use the word "disillusioned?" The meaning of which is:

to have been freed from or deprived of illusion, belief, idealism, etc.; disenchanted

As an atheist myself, I have to say that I haven't met a theist yet that I felt had been "freed from [the] illusion" that their particular brand of theism presents. I mean... if they were "disillusioned", an atheists take on that would be that they were no longer theists.

Perhaps I'm missing some sort of nuance in the way you're meaning to use it?

Not to be explicitly insulting to theists... but perhaps you meant "delusional?"

hmmmm, good catch.

now that gave me another idea for a thread.

 

[viole]

Would an atheist have a harder time understanding, accepting, and pursuing an abstract because of lack of evidence and/or experience?

Probably.

While I have no problems to understand and accept abstract things like 10 dimensional manifolds, infinite dimensional Hilbert spaces, or the objects in category theory, i find it difficult to pursue them, whatever that means.

Ciao

- viole