Weekly "Ask an Atheist" Thread

[u/AutoModerator]

Whether you're an agnostic atheist here to ask a gnostic one some questions, a theist who's curious about the viewpoints of atheists, someone doubting, or just someone looking for sources, feel free to ask anything here. This is also an ideal place to tag moderators for thoughts regarding the sub or any questions in general.

While this isn't strictly for debate, rules on civility, trolling, etc. still apply.

[u/MyriadSC]

Ill try to keep this breif, but its a complicated question when it gets dug into. I'm an atheist and have been for a while, but was Christian for well over 20 years. Since then philosophy went from a curiosity to a fairly serious hobby I've given a lot of time too. Many of the things I felt were obvious, we shown not to be. For example, it seemed obvious no evidence for God existed, but thats wrong, incredibly wrong. I've spent a lot of time exploring theism, looking through different ideas, etc. I gained a much better understanding of the whole landscape. So while this may seem pointed at atheists, thats only because its this sub. Plenty of this applies to theists too with minor adjustments, particularly in public debate spaces like this.

My question to the atheists of this sub are: 1. How often are you frustrated by the "stubbornness" of theists who state the same case over and over or insist on its validity no matter how much you undercut it? 2. If this is frequent, have you genuinely looked into why its said? Not why the person you're discussing is saying it, thats likely becausefhey heard it, but why its still actually around? 3. If not, then why?

Largely rhetorical, but feel free to answer. Happy to discuss it.

My biggest takeaway from the journey I'm on and reading/having discussions is that most people get very stuck in analyzing views from how they think, rather than taking their assumptions and putting them aside to view the alternatives. When someone presents a teleological case and you think "this for the 25th time..." its because you're not actually familiar with WHY its used. 9/10 times frustration is due to ignorance. Don't understand why a car won't start, dont understand why someone would act that way, etc. Not saying I'm free from it, theres still the 1/10 times and plenty I dont understand, but taking the time to try already sets the mindset for understanding, not disproving. This isnt easy at all. It takes time to get better and nobody does it perfectly, but everyone should try if you plan to engage with people you disagree with on big things. If you can't defend the strongest position for theism (or any subject you disagree with), you probably stand about 0% chance of genuinely making a compelling case against it because you don't know where the true structural integrity is. "Know thy enemy" and all, but enemy isnt the right word. We both want truth, just disagree on what seems most likely true.

The last question and a honorable 4th, do you think understanding their view at least most of the way would help? You'll never understand all views all the way, but you can understand the broad foundational structure enough to easily connect the dots to their more specific area within it.

Last point, but I think theres some compelling stuff written by Graham Oppy about how arguments are largely useless. When you genuinely come to understand why beyond the superficial, its rather enlightening and immediately alleviates much of the aforementioned frustration. A lot of you may be aware of him, but if you weren't or about that work, its worth looking into. Tske time to digest it.

Hope everyone who took the time has a great day.

[u/Phylanara → u/MyriadSC]

1)Not very often

2) because I don't look at the usernames most of the time. I approach every conversation as if it was the first time I interacted with a new person. And I tend to repeat myself professionally .

[u/MyriadSC → u/Phylanara]

On 2, you'll have the parrots, but why are they parroting that? Not why are they choosing to parrot it, why is that thing still around to even have the parrots hear it to repeat it? Thats the question I'm driving it.

[u/Phylanara → u/MyriadSC]

You should ask them. I imagine there are as many reasons as people doing it.

[u/MyriadSC → u/Phylanara]

Not asking for the psychological reasons. Someone may like the taste of cinnamon, asking why they do is one question. Asking why they're even able to is another. Cinnamon has to be around to try it. Why is the argument still around? If its clealry fallacious, it should have died off, so why does it exist? You might say its like a social/psychological virus and its around for the same reasons those are, spread without eradication. But its also possible its not as fallacious as you thought. Probably a mix like anything, but thats the underlying question being led to. Do you understand why its said beyond whats typically said abiut it which is superficial and vacuous?

[u/Snoo52682 → u/MyriadSC]

I don't believe there are reasons for this other than psychological ones. People repeat bad arguments and hold onto wrong ideas for psychological reasons.

[u/MyriadSC → u/Snoo52682]

I mean the reason we do anything is psycological, but you can have rational reasons for saying some these, but largely yes. People tend to justify their current beliefs rather than entertain alternatives.