3.1 Atheism: Definitions

I discuss various definitions of "atheism" and explain why I have chosen the one I have.

Appeal to Ridicule:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_ridicule

Appeal to Popular Opinion (Argumentum ad Populum):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argumentum_ad_populum

Stella Liebeck v McDonald's:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v._McDonald's_Restaurants

Strong and Weak Atheism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

Agnostic Atheism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostic_atheism

All excerpts used in this video are either copyright-free or covered under "fair use" in Title 17 § 107 of the USC.

Brush/Vector Attributions:
http://s3vendays.deviantart.com/art/Silhouette-Brush-Set-10-51013425
http://s3vendays.deviantart.com/art/Silhouette-Brush-Set-12-62245545
http://s3vendays.deviantart.com/art/Silhouette-Brush-Set-12-62245545
http://raspete.deviantart.com/art/Silhouettes-68832150
http://raspete.deviantart.com/art/Silhouettes-II-84591080
http://sidath.deviantart.com/art/people-37801722
http://scratchy22.deviantart.com/art/silhouette-brushes-116028014
http://physicalmagic.deviantart.com/art/People-Silhouette-Brush-Pack-64592873
http://for-certain.deviantart.com/art/S-I-L-H-O-U-T-T-E-B-92760353
http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/?q=vitruvian%20man#/d268ogc
http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/?q=fairy%20silhouette#/d153hoq
http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/vector/?qh=&section=&q=silhoue...
http://learn-to-spel.deviantart.com/art/Ghosties-Brush-Pack-116159461

and many more textures and vectors from Snap2Objects:
http://www.snap2objects.com/freebies/

Image Attributions:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cup_of_coffee.svg

Music:
"Giving Up the Ghost" by DJ Shadow

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Category:

Education

Tags:

• God
• Christian
• atheist
• secular
• humanist
• deconversion
• agnostic
• strong
• weak
• negative
• positive
• pantheist
• nontheist

[inflorire]

I'm happy I found this series. I find so many atheists to be what I call "lazy" in their arguments (by resorting to ridicule), I thought I was more alone. I felt no need to have conversations with Christians because I wasn't sure they could have those conversations with me. Now I'm beginning to think that these conversations might help them. I think I'm beginning to acquire the tools I need to talk to Christians about these concepts that I understand, but haven't transmitted.

[BusinessIDBAI]

Depending on the god concept I'm confronted with, I am either an Agnostic or Gnostic Atheist unless acceptable evidence has been presented. In the case of the Christian God, I -know- it doesn't exist. As this god is the god described by the Bible, and you already covered in this video how that concept is a construct, rather than something that actually exists.

[RickDS200]

I am a Naturalist: Everything in particular ways and particular conditions, and can be explained in terms of other things under particular conditions. Consciousness is something withing Nature. Natures explains itself.

Non-Naturalists are A-Naturalists, or Super-Naturalists: Theists, Astrologists.......etc.

OR Agnostics: They don't have a general explanation of how things work.

[BDiegoTube]

The other issue is your definition of atheism is too broad. A better - and far more generally accepted definition - is that atheism is simply "the absence of belief that any deities exist". This rules out some agnostics (but not others) who believe a diety "may" or "probably" exists. The fact is, the difference here is the same as how there are people who are bi who instead identify themselves as homosexual or heterosexual when in fact they're bi. A lot of people misidentify themselves.

[BDiegoTube]

See, here's the confusion. Weak atheism is a subset of agnosticism referred to as agnostic atheism. I've confronted many atheists, and you are the first to claim that atheism actually means weak atheism. I've never heard any other atheist claim this, although it's probably true. The point I'm making is this is a huge point of confusion. I'm agnostic but by your definition I'm an atheist - which I strongly disagree with as I believe there is at least a 50% chance of there being a god.

[bartsutra]

I've brought up the point about Stella and her coffee with friends as well, but more as a point that when someone who should be intelligent (the judge) makes does something, or make s a decision so obviously stupid to us, then we probably don't know the whole story, we lack the big picture.

[Esoparagon]

It's awesome you brought up strong and weak atheism! I don't think it requires knowing everything about the universe to assert god does not exist, as I do, because no further evidence is required for understanding logic. The concept of the christian God is internally illogical. No amount of evidence will change this.

[Esoparagon]

But why would one assign those definitions to the word God. It seems pointless.

[alphaenemy]

Considering the sheer number of agnostic atheists there actually are, why is the standard Merriam-Webster definition of atheism so...bad? Why do they have it so wrong? Since almost all atheists define themselves as lacking a belief, why does Merriam-Webster insist that atheism is a disbelief?

[TheMrSamuels]

you should write a book about your journey

[1986ERB]

whaawhawhaaaat???

[ChaoticReverie1]

Hmm, I like this video, it's just--if someone asked a random person on the street if faries or unicorns exist, they'd surely say "no", and that'd be that (because who believes in fairies/unicorns?), but if a person were to give that answer in reference to God,they now have to provide evidence? If these beings (Gods,fairies,unicorns,etc.) were really viewed on the same level, you'd think people wouldn't have to say "I lack belief".No one says "I lack belief in fairies", they say they don't exist.