What does it mean to be an Atheist ( not a mocking thread)

[Willamena]

We humans live by faith because our knowledge is limited, and suspect. We can't ever know for sure that what we think we know is accurate. The fact that we don't like this, or that we prefer imagining that we "know the truth" just because we think we know it, doesn't change the reality of our profound limitations when it comes to knowledge of the truth (what is).

Are these statements suspect?

 

[Willamena]

Those arent varieties of atheism, its

Theism

Agnostic

Atheism


• there are many many types of theism, so what

Only one of those is a variety of atheism.

 

[Valjean]

We humans live by faith because our knowledge is limited, and suspect. We can't ever know for sure that what we think we know is accurate. The fact that we don't like this, or that we prefer imagining that we "know the truth" just because we think we know it, doesn't change the reality of our profound limitations when it comes to knowledge of the truth (what is).

In the end it's all just variation in degree of confidence. I'm more confident that the sun will come up tomorrow than that it will rain, and more confident it will rain than that that we'll have an earthquake.
Evidence increases confidence, as does reproducibility and predictiveness.

 

[Nimos]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

There is only one place to go if one want the honest truth and that is south park

Agnostic

Atheism

Religion

On a more serious note, to me atheism is basically just the lack of evidence to justify a believe in a God(s).

 

[PureX]

Are these statements suspect?

One thing that we can know is that we don't know everything (that there is to know). And that means that we can't know how much what we think we do know (now) would be changed by what we don't know, (now) if we were able to know it.

The point being, yes, we can know THAT we don't know, even though we don't know WHAT or how much we don't know. Our unknowing is not "suspect". It's self-evident.

 

[PureX]

In the end it's all just variation in degree of confidence. I'm more confident that the sun will come up tomorrow than that it will rain, and more confident it will rain than that that we'll have an earthquake.
Evidence increases confidence, as does reproducibility and predictiveness.

These things are not really knowledge, though. They are suppositions based on reasoned probability. That was the point I was trying to make. We PRETEND to ourselves all the time that we "know things" that we don't really know. And we get away with it as long as our probability-based suppositions play out. But that was never knowledge, it was just an expression of the functionality of reasoned probability.

But it's very difficult to get people to recognize and admit to this. Because to recognize and admit to it, one would have to accept the truly profound state of unknowing that we humans actually live in. And we REALLY don't want to do that because it forces us to recognize just how vulnerable we really are.

 

[Willamena]

One thing that we can know is that we don't know everything (that there is to know). And that means that we can't know how much what we think we do know (now) would be changed by what we don't know, (now) if we were able to know it.

The point being, yes, we can know THAT we don't know, even though we don't know WHAT or how much we don't know. Our unknowing is not "suspect". It's self-evident.

I do agree that we don't know what we don't know.

 

[PureX]

I do agree that we don't know what we don't know.

... And that we therefor cannot know how little, or how much we think we know, is so.

 

[Jim]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

Has your question in the thread title been answered? If so, what was the answer?

I’ve seen some confusion resulting from people saying “atheism” and “atheists” sometimes when what they’re actually thinking of is people denouncing some Christians and Muslims and their beliefs. I’ve seen people calling themselves “atheists” using the words “atheism” and “atheists” that way sometimes, and not only people who say they believe in a Christian or Muslim God.

 

[Willamena]

... And that we therefor cannot know how little, or how much we think we know, is so.

Well, that implies that what we know is what we don't know.

If we cannot know how much of what we know we don't know, then we have come full circle, and everything is suspect.

 

[PureX]

Well, that implies that what we know is what we don't know.

If we cannot know how much of what we know we don't know, then we have come full circle, and everything is suspect.

Yes, our presumed knowledge is suspect. Our ignorance (unknowing), however, is self-evident ... if we are willing to be logical and honest enough to recognize it.

 

[Willamena]

Yes, our presumed knowledge is suspect. Our ignorance (unknowing), however, is self-evident ... if we are willing to be logical and honest enough to recognize it.

But it implies that all knowledge be presumed.

 

[PureX]

But it implies that all knowledge be presumed.

Existence, for we humans, is often marked by inexplicable paradox. One more way in which our unknowing is self-evident.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Has your question in the thread title been answered? If so, what was the answer?

I’ve seen some confusion resulting from people saying “atheism” and “atheists” sometimes when what they’re actually thinking of is people denouncing some Christians and Muslims and their beliefs. I’ve seen people calling themselves “atheists” using the words “atheism” and “atheists” that way sometimes, and not only people who say they believe in a Christian or Muslim God.

I would say both yes and no I do not think the OP is as easy to answer than many would think it is, because what is totally none beliving? is it even possible to believe nothing at all?

 

[lukethethird]

What does it mean to be an Atheist ( not a mocking thread)
It means never being able to see your own shadow.

 

[Spirit of Light]

What does it mean to be an Atheist ( not a mocking thread)
It means never being able to see your own shadow.

That is actually a very good answer Thank you

 

[lukethethird]

That is actually a very good answer Thank you

If only it were true.