Defining Atheism (and Babies Too!!)

I will probably wish I didn't post this video. Me and my big mouth.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jesus
• Christ
• Christian
• Christianity
• Bible
• Biblical
• Scripture
• Scriptural
• church
• Catholic
• Catholicism
• Orthodox
• Orthodoxy
• Anglican
• Anglicanism
• Protestant
• Protestantism
• atheism

[AgainstZombies]

I just saw this on RR's channel, and I have to say, this is one of my FAVORITE videos on all of YouTube. I am currently an undergraduate mathematics major and as such I probably enjoyed and appreciated this video a lot more than others. It never occurred to me to use logic in this way on this topic, I only ever used what is described in 23:18 - 27:35 in the video; I feel awfully silly to not realize this earlier but I am grateful to have been informed about it now. I agree with you 100%. Subbed!

[labarum312]

@AgainstZombies Thanks much.

[beechgrovejoe]

My only disagreement is that the ~Bg & ~B~g position can be an undecidable position and not simply undecided. It is a gnostic position that when people claim the possibility of deciding they are simply incorrect on a fundamental basis. You must be able to distinguish some difference between the positions before it makes any sense to talk about the position being decidable. So how would a world without a god look any different than a world with a god? You cannot tell until you are dead.

[labarum312]

@beechgrovejoe Undecidability is a statement of fact while the "B" operator is a statement of belief. Belief is relative to some individual x. If a proposition p is undecidable, then the individual x will remain undecided. But they still are technically undecided.

[labarum312]

@beechgrovejoe To give an example, there is a conjecture in set theory called the continuum hypothesis. I might have a belief that it is true or that it is false or my beliefs are undecided. It has been demonstrated by Kurt Godel and Paul Cohen that the continuum hypothesis can never be established one way or the other. It is an undecidable proposition but this undecidability relates to deciding facts. I still may have a hunch it is true (or false) or remain undecided in my beliefs.

[thunderbolt94]

As I said on RR's video, even if we grant that babies are atheists (which is stupid anyway), then so what! That would just mean that these atheists would have to grow up anyway. ;)

[george1001001]

I'm an atheist and I'm glad you made this video. It helps me sort through my thoughts. Yes, it is a very emotional issue with many atheists.

[wimsweden]

This made me think of the fact that Swedes are often referenced as a largely atheistic people. However, only a minority would actually label themselves or identify with the term 'atheist'. Most would answer "no" to the question of whether they believe in God, but most would presume they're being asked about a Christian god concept. If pressed further they would say that they "believe in something" or "believe in a force" or say "God is love" or "God is what happens when people come together".

[labarum312]

@caseagainstfaith I am actually going to put it on my blog where it will be a lot more concise.  I'll PM you when it is up.

[Sykotix1]

The definition of agnostic as unsure, is not exclusive to the US. You got some bad information. It's been in quite common use in the UK for at least 12 years. It's the definition that I was taught at school, and I know many undecided people in the UK who label themselves agnostic.

[beechgrovejoe]

@labarum312 Simple undecided leaves open the possibility of deciding in the future. Undecidable closes that door and rules out any meaning to an anwer to the question. A much stronger position than simple undecided.

[beechgrovejoe]

@labarum312 Everybody can make a guess and choose any one of the three posibilities. The question is one of what being able to recognize the difference between the true and false options. If you think there is a possibility of seeing the difference but don't see it you can choose the undecided position. However if you cannot ever see a difference, there can never be a decision. The argument boils down to a question of can you tell the difference between a god existing or not.