Atheism

Philosophy

What is atheism?

Atheism is the rejection of the idea that there is a God.

What is an atheist?

An atheist is someone who rejects the idea that there is a God and asserts that there is no God.

What is the distinction made by Anthony Flew regarding atheism?

Anthony Flew distinguished between 'positive' and 'negative' atheism.

What is a positive atheist?

A positive atheist is someone who positively asserts the non-existence of God; also known as strong atheism.

What is a negative atheist?

A negative atheist is someone who is not an atheist; also known as weak atheism.

What do atheists often believe about reality?

Atheists are often materialists, meaning they believe the physical world constitutes all of reality.

What was the original connotation of the term 'atheist'?

Atheist was originally a pejorative term used to describe godless people who supposedly rejected moral values.

Who introduced the term 'agnostic' and what does it mean?

Thomas Huxley introduced 'agnostic', meaning without knowledge, referring to those who believe the existence of God cannot be known.

What is strong agnosticism?

Strong agnosticism is the belief that the existence of God is a question that cannot be answered.

Who are the Four Horsemen of New Atheism?

Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Christopher Hitchens

What do the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Bible represent?

They herald the end of the world.

What is the main focus of Sam Harris's book 'The End of Faith'?

The dangers posed by religious extremist groups.

What event prompted Sam Harris to write 'The End of Faith'?

The 9/11 attacks.

What is Richard Dawkins's argument regarding belief in God?

It is no longer rational to cling to belief in God in light of modern science and Darwin's theory of evolution.

According to Richard Dawkins, what are the negative impacts of religion?

It is at the root of wars and terrorism and is detrimental to scientific inquiry.

What does Daniel Dennett argue about religion?

It should be studied as a human phenomenon.

What is Daniel Dennett's goal in studying religion?

To show that religion is a human construction.

What is the main argument of Christopher Hitchens's book 'God is Not Great'?

Religion, especially organized religion, is damaging to society.

According to Christopher Hitchens, why do humans tend to have faith in religion?

Due to fears about our own mortality.

What harmful behaviors does Christopher Hitchens associate with religion?

It encourages behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to society.

What do atheists argue about religion's influence on belief?

Atheists argue that religion encourages people to believe in an imaginary father figure in the same way children believe in Father Christmas.

What is a common criticism of the worldview that includes a garden with a talking snake?

It is criticized as being akin to a fairy tale.

What do some people want to replace the teaching of evolution with?

They want their children to learn Bible stories as if they were science.

At what age do rational people typically grow out of infantile beliefs according to some critics?

By the age of about ten.

How does Dawkins describe religious faith?

Dawkins describes religious faith as blind, claiming that religious believers accept whatever their religion tells them without thinking it through.

What does Dawkins say about the truth of holy books?

'The truth of the holy book is an axiom, not the end product of a process of reasoning.' - Dawkins

What does Dawkins argue regarding religious claims?

Dawkins argues that religious claims should be open to being eased and the evidence in support of them should be assessed.

What does religion applaud according to Dawkins?

Religion applauds blind acceptance as virtuous faith.

Why is the Bible alleged to need no further support?

The Bible is alleged to need no further support because it is the word of God and cannot be challenged.

What does Dawkins argue about belief in God in light of modern science?

Dawkins argues that it is impossible to maintain belief in God with any kind of rationality in light of modern science.

What must people do to persist in religious faith, according to Dawkins?

People have to be wilfully ignorant to ignore all the evidence if they intend to persist in religious faith.

What does Dawkins accuse religion of discouraging?

Dawkins accuses religion of discouraging people from looking for answers to scientific questions and pointing out contradictions in their belief systems.

What concept does religion encourage according to Dawkins?

Religion encourages the concept of mystery and tells people to be satisfied with their own ignorance.

What do atheists argue about the mindset of religion and scientific inquiry?

Atheists argue that the mindset of religion encourages people to give up inquiries at an early stage and declare problems to be miracles rather than pursuing their research.

What challenge did Charles Darwin face regarding his theory of evolution?

Charles Darwin found it difficult to get his ideas accepted because his theory of evolution contrasted sharply with Bible teaching about the origins of humanity.

What is the Church's stance on artificial contraception?

The Church opposes the use of artificial contraception, which causes problems for scientists wanting to promote safe sex and family planning, especially in developing countries.

Why do religious people often object to scientific research involving human embryos?

Religious people often object to scientific research involving human embryos because of the belief that human life is sacred.

What is a concern Christians have regarding stem cell research?

Some Christians object to stem cell research because it requires cells from fertilized human eggs, which they believe means a potential human life is being sacrificed for the benefits of research.

What is a challenge to atheists regarding religious apologists?

There is an increase in religious apologists in the media.

What do some argue about new atheists?

They are ill-informed and none are experts on religion.

What do new atheists overlook according to their critics?

Centuries of scholarly study, philosophical thought, and cultural and social reform.

What logical fallacy do critics say new atheists commit when discussing religious extremists?

The straw man fallacy.

What is the straw man fallacy?

Attacking a caricatured version of a position that does not accurately represent it.

What stance have some atheists taken regarding militant atheism?

They have objected to it and wanted to dissociate themselves from it.

Who is Owen Jones and what did he criticize in 2013?

He is a left-wing journalist who criticized Richard Dawkins for using atheism as a platform for bigotry.

What specific type of bigotry did Owen Jones accuse Richard Dawkins of promoting?

Anti-Muslim bigotry.

What did Owen Jones argue about Richard Dawkins' representation of atheists?

He argued that Dawkins should not be allowed to represent most atheists.

Who developed the science of genetics and was a monk?

Gregor Mendel

What was funded by the church and contributed to genetics?

Gregor Mendel's research

Who won Nobel Prizes in medicine for their discovery of human blood types?

Karl Landsteiner

Who won a Nobel Prize for their work on glycogen?

Gerty Cori

What significant contributions did Karl Landsteiner and Gerty Cori have in common?

Both won Nobel Prizes in medicine

Which group dominated mathematics and science in the Middle Ages?

Muslims

Who was the first Muslim woman in space?

Anousheh Ansari

What challenge to atheism is associated with an increase in religious activity?

Increase in fundamentalist religious activity

What movement particularly targeted fundamentalist religious views?

The New Atheist movement

How have people with fundamentalist views responded to the New Atheist movement?

By reaffirming the literal truth of the Bible

What do fundamentalists argue about the relationship between the Bible and science?

They argue that scientists must be wrong because the Bible comes from God and science comes from fallible human minds