Atheism and Agnosticism

What is an atheist?

it is somebody who does not believe in a God and is not devoted to a faith surrounding the idea of God

Who are materialists?

they only believe in what we can see and what we can touch

What do materialists not believe in?

God and a soul

What else do Materialists believe in?

things that we can empirically test

What does Alister Mcgrath define atheism as?

‘the religion of the autonomous and rational human being , who believes that reason is able to uncover and express the deepest truths of the universe’

What do New Atheists believe?

• religion is irrational

• religion causes harm to society and is violent

• we live in an era where science is predominately active

What did Anthony Flew introduce and where?the

The terms ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ atheism in his book ‘The Presumption of Atheism’

What did Flew argue?

Atheism should be the default position

what do New Atheists believe?

They believe that religion is a threat to the survival of the human race , e.g Dawkins

What is weak atheism? What do they believe in?

they do not claim God/deities don't exist. The burden of proof is on the theist

what is strong athiesm? What do they believe in?

they know God doesn't exist. They give reasons to defend their beliefs , like a theist would

How do materialists view the mind?

as a function of the brain rather than evidence of some kind of non-physical sel for soul that exist independently from the body

What does agnoticism embrace?

the idea that the existence of God is unknowable , as our knowledge is limited. It is not the case that there is no evidence , but the evidence isn’t possible

What does agnoticism focus on?

knowledge rather than a belief in God

What is strong agnoticism?

the assertion that it is impossible to know whether or not God exists

What is weak agnoticism?

the belief that the existence of God is currently unknown , but it is not necessarily unknowable

What does Everitt use the term agnostic as?

to refer to someone who thinks God's existence and non-existence are equally probable

What triggered the New Atheism movement?

the aftermath of 9/11 attacks have led to a powerful attack on religion , as it was seen as the main cause of the catastrophe

What do New Atheists argue?

religion is out of date , irrational , and damaging to human wellbeing , and anti-scientific , just as Hume and Russell argued

Who are the four Horseman of the non-Apocalypse?

• Sam Harris

• Richard Dawkins

• Daniel Dennett

• Christopher HItchens

what does Sam Harris argue?

focuses on the dangers of religious extremist groups , in particular martyrdom. He compares religion to a mental illness. There is no empirical support for religious belief and religion has been the cause of conflict , terrorism and torture throughout history

Where did Harris lay these views?

The end of Faith (2004)

What did Dawkins promote in ‘The Selfish Gene’?

it promotes Darwinian ideas of evolution

What did Dawkins argue in ‘The Blind Watchmaker’?

attacks Christian design argument , all apparent design is due to natural process. Given modern science , it Is not rational to cling to God

What did Darwin argue in ‘The God Delusion’?

it explains why he believes there is no God - lack of evidence , in effectiveness of prayer and failure of the arguments for the existence of God. Religion is damaging - war , terrorism

What did Daniel Dennett argue?

religion should be analysed according to scientific principles , it should be studied as a human phenomenon

What did Dennett suggest?

Religion grew out of folk beliefs

What does Dennett intend to do?

to break the spell religion has on people’s minds by showing it for what it really is - a human construct

What does Dennett believe in people holding false beliefs?

there is no problem in people holding false beliefs as long as they don't harm anyone else - but religion affects politics , economics , and conflicts