Atheism

From Srafopedia

Atheism, from the Greek ἄθεος, atheos, meaning "godless", is the philosophical view that affirms the nonexistence of gods. It has been compared to religion as some of its critics believe it to be similarly based on a set of beliefs about the Universe which cannot be proved scientifically. However, many atheists make the distinction that Atheism is the absence of belief in deities. Although Atheism is often thought of as anti-religion, some religious philosophies, such as some varieties of Buddhism, do not include belief in a personal god.

The positive affirmation of the nonexistence of gods can also be referred to as strong atheism, while the simple absence of an affirmation of the existence of gods can be referred to as weak atheism. Arguments supporting weak atheism include Russel's Teapot[1], which states that despite any evidence that there is no teapot orbiting our Sun, the reasonable position is to doubt the existence of such a teapot. Similar arguments are the basis for parody religions such as The Invisible Pink Unicorn[2]. Arguments for strong atheism include Richard Dawkins' Ultimate Boeing 747 Gambit[3].

Although many people who describe themselves as atheists tend toward secular philosophies such as Humanism and naturalism, there is no one ideology or set of behaviours to which all atheists adhere.

See also: Agnosticism.