10 surprising facts about atheism

[rug]

By Julian Baggini
January 15th 2016

Atheism is the absence of belief that God, and other deities, exist. It is difficult to ascertain how many of the world’s population are atheist as surveys don’t tend to differentiate between the irreligious and atheist. However, it is clear from polls that Europe and East Asia are the regions with the highest proportion of non-believers. In 2015, over 60% of people in China said they were atheist in a survey. It is also clear that numbers of atheists are growing across the world. How much do you know about this belief system? Julian Baggini, author of Atheism: A Very Short Introduction, tells us the ten things we never knew about atheism:

1. The name is an historical accident as atheists have to be defined as contrasting to our historically theistic culture.

2. ‘A’ is not ‘anti’; not all atheists are anti-religion.

3. Atheism is not necessarily dogmatic.

4. Being an atheist means that you believe the balance of evidence shows that God does not exist. This is not the same as saying that you are 100% certain God does not exist

http://blog.oup.com/2016/01/10-facts-about-atheism/



Number 4 is incorrect. Atheism does not require any particular path to nonbelief. See Number 9.

[randys1]

1. NO such thing

[cpwm17]

5. You're wrong

[randys1]

6. Oh

well in that case

[cpwm17]

7. You're lack of imagination is no evidence against the existence of atheists.

I have forty years of evidence that atheists exist: myself.

There are millions of people in this world that have no need or requirement to believe in any invisible superheros.

[randys1]

8. My point is there is no ism, an atheist is simply someone who does NOT believe in god

and while I do not believe in god I am not part of some movement or group or classification

unless there is also one for not believing in leprechauns

That was my point

Certain people need for atheists to be seen as a group, or as radicals pushing an agenda

[cpwm17]

9. Atheists do exist, though I get your point.

The lack of a belief in any gods leaves a lot of ground for major differences in opinion about just about everything, since non-belief isn't a belief system – though atheists do believe that gods don't exist, or at least they believe there is no evidence for any gods.

Some right-wing atheists try to make atheism about more than just a non-belief in any gods, but they certainly don't have anything to do with me. I have virtually nothing in common with them.

[randys1]

10. Carlin's daughter tells the story about how George didnt care for any zealots, whether

pro religion or anti.

I try and not have a strong opinion about my not believing in leprechauns and god.

However, I may believe in Bigfoot and UFO's, for real

[Lordquinton]

13. Why are you trying to erase an identity?

Strange seeing those words coming from someone like you.

[underpants]

2. Thank God you posted this

[rug]

3. The evidence compelled me.

[underpants]

4. LOL

[Major Nikon]

11. #4 is most certainly incorrect and is one of the biggest misconceptions about atheism

We are all born atheists. No belief in anything is required.

[edhopper]

12. #4 is written poorly

I think he is trying to say that atheist are not 100% sure there is no God, but see no reason to believe in one.

It is the "know there is no God" or "don't believe there is a God" which has been discussed here.

He is talking to believers and trying to explain some misconceptions about atheists.

He was talking about the difference between atheism and agnosticism, if you watch the video.

As I said, badly worded, but I don't think he is saying all atheist come to it from analyzing the evidence.

just my 2 cents.

[rug]

14. I think he's reciting a relatively modern view on the source of atheism.

The more prevalent basis these days is the lack of evidence argument.

However, classical atheism was based on philosophy, e.g., Epicurus' riddle. I still think that is the most devastating indictment of the notion of god(s).

[edhopper]

15. perhaps

but i really think he is talking to people unfamiliar with atheism who say things like "How can you be 100% sure there is no God". I have heard this myself and it is definitely a fact about atheism that atheists all aren't 100% certain.

As I said, he should have said it differently, but he was comparing atheist to agnostics.

If he had said "atheist look at things and on balance say they think there is no god, not that they are 100%" it would have sounded better.

The final takeaway is, you don't have to be 100% sure to be an atheist.


As for Epicurus, there is evidence to support his assertion, so it is part of the whole thing.

[rug]

16. Yes, he probably is addressing modern misconceptions.

I disagree with your take on Epicurus though. The only evidence he sees is the eternal one of "evil". He concludes there is no reconciliation of that with the notion of a god. Which is philosophy. He is not using it to disprove the existence of god(s) but to disprove the very notion of god(s).

[edhopper]

17. I'm not sure of that

I don't think he believed in any supernatural beings, good or evil. He was a materialist AFAIK, but it's a whole other discussion.

And yes i think this is about modern misconceptions. #4 is wrong, but only because of his wording not his intent.