The Doctrine of Atheism

Originally posted by amannion
I get what you're saying, but a dolphin might argue (if they could) that no other mammal can swim like I do, or an eagle might argue that no other mammal can see like I do.
The fact that we can build bombs and spaceships indicates that we are capable of doing some things differently to other animals sure, but beyond that?

I am interested in your questio ...[text shortened]... sophical and introspective perspective than that we can do stuff differently to other animals.

Edit: "I am interested in your question what it means to be human. I'm just interested in answering it from a more philosophical and introspective perspective than that we can do stuff differently to other animals."


We create constantly our future worlds merely out of their existence in our own mind alone herenow😵

Originally posted by black beetle
Edit: "I am interested in your question what it means to be human. I'm just interested in answering it from a more philosophical and introspective perspective than that we can do stuff differently to other animals."


We create constantly our future worlds merely out of their existence in our own mind alone herenow😵

holy blade of grass!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
holy blade of grass!

Nothing holy😵

Originally posted by amannion
I get what you're saying, but a dolphin might argue (if they could) that no other mammal can swim like I do, or an eagle might argue that no other mammal can see like I do.
The fact that we can build bombs and spaceships indicates that we are capable of doing some things differently to other animals sure, but beyond that?

I am interested in your questio ...[text shortened]... sophical and introspective perspective than that we can do stuff differently to other animals.

Yes, I think what it means to be human is rapidly changing at the moment. I have no real good verbal definition at the moment.

'And beyond that' I would just reinterate that humans have the power over animals and hence it gives us a unique responsibilty that no other animals have.
And not just power over animals but power to help the whole planet as we have evolved the means to which we can understand and modify our world. As you know all life is interlinked/dependent on each other and all life depends on a healthy planet to grow. Right now our planet aint so healthy...

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Yes, I think what it means to be human is rapidly changing at the moment. I have no real good verbal definition at the moment.

'And beyond that' I would just reinterate that humans have the power over animals and hence it gives us a unique responsibilty that no other animals have.
And not just power over animals but power to help the whole planet a ...[text shortened]... ther and all life depends on a healthy planet to grow. Right now our planet aint so healthy...

I agree with you there, we do have a responsibility. Our planet's going alright though - it's a tough one. We've mad some stuff ups, which is to be expected, but we're also aware of our mistakes for the most part.

Originally posted by amannion
I agree with you there, we do have a responsibility. Our planet's going alright though - it's a tough one. We've mad some stuff ups, which is to be expected, but we're also aware of our mistakes for the most part.

Yes, yes and so you get some people who are like, "What do I care about the environment, I'm just another animal going through the motions of life, I cant change things (etc.)" .(Interestingly I've found athiests and theists who think like this , but the theists seem more spiteful on their take on this machevallian line of thought. They say God will get his vengence and such. and so on...)

We are becoming increasingly aware of our mistakes and we can correct certain things, but change in some areas is very slow.

A question for you then, dearest amannion: Do you think that we have the scientific knowledge to properly address the enviromantal problems that we face?
(Forget about the political will for now 😛 )

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Yes, yes and so you get some people who are like, "What do I care about the environment, I'm just another animal going through the motions of life, I cant change things (etc.)" .(Interestingly I've found athiests and theists who think like this , but the theists seem more spiteful on their take on this machevallian line of thought. They say God will get ...[text shortened]... dress the enviromantal problems that we face?
(Forget about the political will for now 😛 )

Yes, we probably do, but I don't think science is going to help us deal with environmental problems.
We need to change our perspectives of the environment. Separating human from the rest of nature - a la our previous discussions - is certainly something we need to avoid. We need to think a little more like many indigenous communities around the world, where the environment is a key component of their lives, and so they act accordingly.
That doesn't require science. It does require understanding and connection with environments.
I teach science, but I also teach an area called Outdoor Education and it's in our connection with natural environments that we realise that we need to protect and nurture places.

Originally posted by amannion
Yes, we probably do, but I don't think science is going to help us deal with environmental problems.
We need to change our perspectives of the environment. Separating human from the rest of nature - a la our previous discussions - is certainly something we need to avoid. We need to think a little more like many indigenous communities around the world, wher ...[text shortened]... nection with natural environments that we realise that we need to protect and nurture places.

Oh yes!! I dont mean to separate us from the rest of nature. I was more trying to get people to focus on the amazing potential we have (as a spacies) if we all put our silly differences aside,(physical ones😉 )
We have already done a pretty good job at separating us from nature anyway. The oil spill in the gulf. The toxic spillage in my home country of Hungary. Stuff like that is karma and God saying" stop this or the whole world could become more like this. Is this what you really want for you children? " (sorry about childish explanation)

So we have the science, but I get the feeling we could be doing so much better.
I know the laypeople have to choose this collectively, but everything is connected in the sense that scientists and others(politicians) will respond to the world (people) around them. Most scientific discoveries have come out of need or war. Hopefully we will find a way to make non-polluting cars (and such) in the not too distant future. Its gotta happen soon, eh?

Originally posted by josephw
1. There is no God.

2. Humans are animals.

3. When something that lives dies, it ceases to exist.

4. Question truth to the point where it has no meaning.

5. Worship science.

6. Deny ones' conscience.

7. Has no doctrine.

8. Has no set of coherent beliefs.

As amannion has already pointed out, atheism has no doctrine.

Obviously, by definition, all atheists believe:

“....1. There is no God....”

I could be wrong but I presume the vast majority of atheists believe:

“....2. Humans are animals. ..."

and;

"...3. When something that lives dies, it ceases to exist. ….”

I am unsure what you mean by:

“....4. Question truth to the point where it has no meaning....”

Whatever the “truth” is, asking questions to find it does not diminish its “meaning” -unless what you refer to as the “truth” is just your own particular religious beliefs?

“...5. Worship science....”

What, we atheists bow down to and chant verses to the holy scientific method and the holy logic and the holy empirical evidence? Science is not a religion where you go somewhere to worship or preform religious rituals to be a part of it.

“...6. Deny ones' conscience. ...”

Like most atheists and theists, I have a conscience. Like most atheists and theists, I do not “deny” my conscience; where did you get that from? What as not believing that there is a god have to do with whether you acknowledge that you do not want to do anything bad?

“...7. Has no doctrine. ...”

Correct -which logically contradicts the title to your thread which says “The Doctrine of Atheism”!
How can you have it both ways?

“....8. Has no set of coherent beliefs....”

Atheism is not supposed to be a “set” of beliefs (whether coherent or not ) but is merely the disbelief that there exists a 'god'. So to say that atheists have “no set of coherent beliefs” is like saying that people that disbelieve that there exists the tooth-fairy have “no set of coherent beliefs” -such a person may or may not have a “set of coherent beliefs” which, either way, is totally irrelevant to their particular disbelief.