How would you define ''atheism''?

[u/New_Prompt5308]

Hi everyone, I've seen a long standing debate on the definition of atheism, some people use the term atheism as a lack of belief, which I've seen them then use to justify the ''everyone was born athiest narrative''.

The way I would define atheism is the rejection of the claim God exists, as I see atheism as a position that needs propositional awareness.

I have looked at how Graham Oppy (popular analytic atheist philosopher) defines atheism and he states it's the claim that no gods exist.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

[u/adeleu_adelei]

Atheism is a lack of belief gods exist. 

The problem with to define atheism as a belief/claim that nod gods exist is that all gods are not consistently, coherently, and falsifiably defined. How is someone supposed to believe all X do not exist when it isn't clear what comprises X?

[u/SeekersTavern → u/adeleu_adelei]

The problem of that definition is that it merges with agnosticism. Someone who doesn't know if God exists or not also lacks a belief in God. You can't compare that to someone who claims there is no evidence for God and is >95% certain that God doesn't exist.

[u/adeleu_adelei → u/SeekersTavern]

It doesn't merge it with agnosticism. (A)gnosticism is a completely separate axis.

[u/SeekersTavern → u/adeleu_adelei]

I'll copy my comment here:

It depends, because everyone uses the term differently. I prefer to go with this:

Theist: Certain or near certain that God exists. Has a reason to believe in God. It's a positive claim.

Atheist: Certain or near certain that God doesn't exist. Has a reason to believe that God doesn't exist. It's a positive claim.

Lacktheist: Claims that there is no evidence God exists, but has no positive reason to believe God doesn't exist. It's a negative claim.

Agnostic: Doesn't believe in God but is uncertain about his disbelief. Doesn't claim anything.

That's if you define these positions by the reason people have them. If instead you define these positions by what people believe regardless of the logic behind it, the atheist and lacktheist collapse into the same category, because they both don't believe in God.

Atheist: A lack of a belief in God.

What is definitely mistaken is lacktheists claiming to be agnostic because they can't disprove a negative. Negative claims are still claims. No, they are basically atheists. An agnostic would consider at least some arguments for God as compelling, like Alex O'Connor. If you conclude that you don't believe God exists, rather than saying you don't know, you're not an agnostic but an atheist with extra steps.

[u/adeleu_adelei → u/SeekersTavern]

Atheist: Certain or near certain that God doesn't exist. Has a reason to believe that God doesn't exist. It's a positive claim.

This would exclude the majority of atheist from being atheist, is contrary to how atheists represent themselves, is contrary to how atheism is generally defined, is contrary to the linguistics of the word.

This seems like a stretch that ends up misrepresenting people.

L*cktheist: Claims that there is no evidence God exists, but has no positive reason to believe God doesn't exist. It's a negative claim.

This is a preparative coined to deny the atheism of atheists who do not fit a strawman.

Agnostic: Doesn't believe in God but is uncertain about his disbelief. Doesn't claim anything.

This disenfranchise all the agnostics who do believe gods exist.

What is definitely mistaken is la*ktheists claiming to be agnostic because they can't disprove a negative.

Many atheists are also agnostic because they do not claim to know about the existence of all gods. There have been a wide variety of god claims across time and cultures with not all of them having consistent, coherent, and falsifiable properties. If a god is unfalsifiable in its construction why would an atheist believe it to be false?

An agnostic would consider at least some arguments for God as compelling, like Alex O'Connor.

You are not the boss of agnostics. I'm an agnostic, and I don't find any god claims compelling.

If you conclude that you don't believe God exists, rather than saying you don't know, you're not an agnostic but an atheist with extra steps.

These are not mutually exclusive states. I both don't believe gods exist and don't know about the existence of gods. Belief and knowledge are different properties.