Why do atheists follow false beliefs?

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by John J. Bannan, Jul 31, 2007.

  1. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    But evolution does favor this lifestyle. O.K., so we kill ourselves off. So what? Evolution will keep going with other animals in the same patterns it has before.
     
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  3. Aivar A.R. Registered Senior Member

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    I think I follow false beliefs mostly to delude myself and to be a hypocrite. There is no humanism without God. This is why I am an wandering evolutionist Christian humanitarian warrior. Only by evolving Mankind in the name of the God can we Become truly enlightened Evolutionaries.

    Furthermore, if the foundations for humanism were not based solely on beliefs or instincts, then there is no reason you stupid atheists should force your false beliefs on others. I mean, why did evolution create churches if there's no God??
     
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  5. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    It wouldn't be the first species that was a victim of it's own success.
     
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  7. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    Evolution created the human mind, which is clearly capable of creating all sorts of false beliefs. Just because the mind conceives of God, does not mean that God is not a false belief. Of course, the mind is also capable of creating true beliefs. But it's not exclusively true or false.
     
  8. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    Are there really any victims in evolutionary terms? Evolution likes death only slightly less than life. Death is what creates better adapted species.
     
  9. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    The real question is, is John J Bannan capable of rational thought and reasoned argument?
     
  10. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    That's any easy one - Guthrie. The answer is yes. Now, why don't you try a rational and reasoned argument.
     
  11. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    No need. Everyone else does it for me.

    But to get back to the topic- I am curious as to why you ask a loaded and frankly silly question. Do you really think that atheists are following false beliefs, or are you trying to stir something up? Or perhaps some kind of Rorshach test? Certainly you have succeeded in drawing a lot of silliness out of the woodwork, at minimal cost to yourself.
     
  12. glaucon tending tangentially Registered Senior Member

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    Well said guthrie.

    Two points:

    Firstly, the question is woefully loaded: What is the criterion for a false/true belief? Does truth value obtain at all with respect to beliefs?

    Secondly, the OP has yet to provide an example of an atheist determining their behaviour upon a false belief (whatever that might be...).
     
  13. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    Yes. Atheists are really following "false" beliefs, such as humanism. Not to say that humanism is a bad belief, only that it is man made and not based on nature, therefore "false". I am also not suggesting that we should only follow true beliefs in the sense that they are based on nature. I am simply pointing out that atheists like to attack religion as "false", and yet they hypocritically follow other "false" beliefs they cherish.
     
  14. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    A "true" belief is one based on nature. Show me why evolution would favor such a belief as an advantage, and there is a distinct possibility that this belief is instinctual - as preprogrammed in our genes. This is about as close to a "true" belief as you can get for human behavior, i.e. one that our own bodies choose to follow.
     
  15. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    OK, that's getting us somewhere. The problem you then have is to demonstrate why humankind isn't natural....

    And as for the last sentence, the best way to do that is simply to do what noted atheist PZ Myers does regarding religious people, which is to post on his blog "Heres some religious people doing something silly, that is silly because of X, Y and Z".
    Not to start a thread suggesting that atheists follow false beliefs, without even giving any examples.
     
  16. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    I previously gave examples of "false" beliefs that atheists follow, such as democracy, the belief in the equality of man, and humanism. Where are those beliefs preprogrammed in our genes?
     
  17. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    But then "free will" flies out the window.

    Help, I'm getting sucked into his socratic discussion!
     
  18. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I guess you still don't get it.

    Humanism entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects the validity of transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural, or divinely revealed texts. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of the human condition...[wikki]

    So, it's not correct to say it's false. It's based on reason. There are no obviously false supernatural assumptions.
     
  19. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    Show you how humankind isn't natural? Of course, humankind is natural. That doesn't mean that every idea that pops into your head is directly related to instinct versus a result of manipulation of abstract ideas, such as numbers and words. Besides, if that were true, then atheist should embrace religion as it too is a product of mankind. See a problem there?
     
  20. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    How is humanism derived from evolution? Our own genes aren't humanists. Of course humanism is a belief not based on nature.
     
  21. John J. Bannan Registered Senior Member

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    "Free will" is another false belief atheists might adhere to. Where in a deterministic scientific world does free will come from?
     
  22. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    -One the one hand you have morals derived from allegedly supernatural events (religion), on the other hand you have morals derived from the needs of people (humanism). Which one is more natural?

    -Determinism is only one possible viewpoint, even for scientists.

    -I think you are concentrating on evolution because you think it's the antithesis of religion, and that is false. Even the Pope believes in evolution.

    -Christianity, for example, supports the idea of free will. I'm not following your logic.
     
  23. Oli Heute der Enteteich... Registered Senior Member

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    If free will is a false idea and some choose to believe it then obviously it's not false is it?
    Otherwise they wouldn't be able to choose to believe it.
    Conversely, if they haven't chosen (but were pre-disposed to it) to believe in it, then it's natural, and therefore also not false by your reasoning.
     

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