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Is Atheism necessary to live subjectively?

Several of the existentialists, especially Sartre, place a high emphasis on living subjectively. First, do you think its important to live subjectively, or can we be perfectly happy thinking of ourselves objectively. Examples of objective ways to think of ourselves would be to think of ourselves as part of "the whole" or the Hegelian world-historical. Objective thinking seems very common in many religions, and, I am wondering, if it is necessary to think of the self objectively in order to believe in a god, including the self as a god like in Satanism.

In that light, again, is it important to live subjectively? J.P. Sartre was an atheist. Now, do we need to be atheists in order to live subjectively? If we adopt any kind of view on divinity, are we objectifying ourselves, and does this destroy meaning?
 
A

angellous_evangellous

Guest
It seems to me that using our philosophy to judge someone else's thought life objectifies ourselves. That is, if a person who believes in God must objectify themselves, then a person who judges another's thoughts have to objectify themselves in order to imagine that.

In this way, this thinking fails its own test.
 

Random

Well-Known Member
Good question. But haven't you noticed, OP, that most Atheists (deliberately generalizing here) cling too much to the scientific hypothesis of an Objective Reality to ever live a truly subjective existence? And isn't the end of Subjective living an untenable sort of Solipsism? Quid pro-pro...
 

LuisDantas

Aura of atheification
Premium Member
Please elaborate on what would a subjective life be like.

It seems to me that you're using that expression as a shortcut for "emphasizing one's own perceptions and individuality" and using that individuality as a basis for most important decisions.

In that sense, it would be somewhat opposed to the more traditional forms of Abrahamic worship, which are often (if stereotypically) presented as based on the denial of one's own individual characteristics.

But I think this is a false dilemma. One shouldn't choose between being a subjective or objective thinker any more than one should choose between having a left leg or a right leg. Both the individual characteristics of oneself and the applicable roles in greater, more social contexts can and should be recognized and conciliated with each other; neglecting to do so is in a very real sense crippling oneself.
 
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