Are we born atheists?

Discussion in 'General Philosophy' started by aaqucnaona, Apr 15, 2012.

  1. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    There is no you, no you who is doing the perceiving, thinking and talking, right?

    Perception, thinking and talking all happen without your input.
     
  2. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  3. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    It's not clear how philately can be meaningfully compared to theism.

    Philately is not about matters of life and death. Theism is.
     
  4. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  5. Rav Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,422
    You're missing (or ignoring) the point. The example I provided is just another case of reducing the scope of applicability of a particular term by associating only your own experiences with it. It's much like a victim of domestic violence due to alcoholism subsequently defining alcoholism as something that necessarily entails domestic violence. It's understandable, but it's not correct.

    Theism isn't about matters of life and death any more than atheism is. Theism is, once again, merely a broad term to describe a belief in a god or gods. Matters of life and death crop up in religion, which is something that only some theists practice.
     
  6. Google AdSense Guest Advertisement



    to hide all adverts.
  7. aaqucnaona This sentence is a lie Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,620
    I didnt even suggest that, did I?
     
  8. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    Yes, there is no self. I thought you were some kind of Buddhist or something, that's what they teach.
     
  9. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    You did:

    - as if you had nothing to do with it, as if it wasn't you who perceived the likeness.


    Not really.
     
  10. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    If there is no self, what is reborn? Nothing. The concept of rebirth apart from the physical is foolish. Karma as well is true only in the most vague, approximate, general sense. And the soul is nowhere to be found.
     
  11. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    How so?
     
  12. Repo Man Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    4,955
    Perhaps if enough people begin misusing the word, asymmetrical will be defined as describing things that are symmetrical. And another word will have to be found to describe things that are not symmetrical, once again illustrating the wisdom of using a dead language for science.
     
  13. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    Well, it's kind of true that you reap what you sow. If you live by the gun, you will die by the gun, that sort of thing.
     
  14. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    This is a good example of providing a definition for purposes of contradistinction.

    And with some terms, it seems that only this kind of definition is adequate.

    "Theism" doesn't seem to be the kind of term as "philately" or "symmetrical."
     
  15. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    Wrong question.


    Doesn't apply.



    "There are these four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them. Which four?

    "The Buddha-range of the Buddhas[1] is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

    "The jhana-range of a person in jhana...[2]

    "The [precise working out of the] results of kamma...

    "Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.

    "These are the four unconjecturables that are not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about them."



    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.077.than.html
     
  16. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    Again, as I already noted, you are arguing from the supremacy of atheism. And yes, from that perspective, what you say applies.
    I see no point in belaboring this any further.
     
  17. Rav Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,422
    Which is nonsense, since it's so easy to find theists who agree with me on the broadest definition of the term being discussed (although according to your logic of course any theist who agrees with me isn't actually a real theist).
     
  18. aaqucnaona This sentence is a lie Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,620
     
  19. Sarkus Hippomonstrosesquippedalo phobe Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,353
    Do you not find it odd that a religion sets out the questions one should not seek answer to?
    Especially where these matters are fairly fundamental to the religion as a whole, yet one is not supposed to question them?

    Is that not like a magician asking us to believe in his magic, and telling us not to question how it is done, and to take his word for it?
     
  20. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    You and a theist may use the same words, but mean different things by them.

    :shrug:
     
  21. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    Given the reason they give for such not seeking an answer - no.


    Except that they don't believe those matters are fundamental to the religion as a whole.


    Not in the Buddha's case.
     
  22. wynn ˙ Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    15,058
    That's right, they are your observations, thus your ideas.
     
  23. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    I see what you mean, but I'd argue that this is not the result of some kind of supernatural force or process balancing up good and evil in the world, but rather a result of natural human interactions.
     

Share This Page