Why do atheists think that the default is nothing if religion is false?

Question

Techically since nothing is known about experience after death, why is nothingness the default? There is a number of infinite possibilities (entering into another universe, falling forever in a endless pit, becoming some sort of pure thought, ect. ect.) Why do atheists think the logical answer is nothingness? I don't even know what nothingness is since I have never experienced it.

Answer 1

If our brain dies then we cannot feel or think anything so it is more possible there is nothing than something

Answer 2

Reason says that there is nothing to suggest an afterlife. All the near death experiences can be explained by brain activity under critical circumstances: you see what you expect to see.



Nothingness is not experienced; there is no mind to do the experiencing. This is indeed hard to imagine, since when we imagine being dead, we usually imagine being an observer of our dead bodies, such as viewing a corpse on a hospital operating table, or perhaps being in a coffin and trying to get out. Even being in a silent black void is still being, and frightening.

Answer 3

Atheism is nothing to do with life after death - it's only a lack of belief of gods.



I personally have no belief of any life after death, as that is, after all, what "death" means. While there are a zillion fantasy situations that cannot be disproven, it is nonsensical to believe them because:



a) many will be contradictory, and it is ludicrous to believe both, and meaningless to try to choose,



b) all are indistinguishable from untruth.



That's why I feel we should only accept that for which there is actually evidence, assuming we do actually care about truth.



To date, there is no reliable evidence to indicate the human consciousness can survive death, so I have no belief it does. Indeed, out current understanding of consciousness is that it is a function of the brain, so ends when the brain ceases to function.

Answer 4

Hello- The truth is, consciousness must be eternal because there is no alternative to consciousness, and so consciousness can't not exist. One may object and say that nothingness is an alternative to consciousness, but that is not correct. Complete nothingness (just like the concept of infinity) can only be approached and never actually exist. Since complete nothingness can't actually exist, (and to be an alternative to something you have to be able to EXIST in its place), complete nothingness cannot be an alternative to consciousness/existence.



As far as what eternal consciousness consists of? I suspect it may consist of an eternally recurring finite stream of consciousness. A finite stream of consciousness that is almost surely correlated with nervous system activity at any point in its existence. I discuss this in my blog at http://rickvgrear.blogspot.com/

Answer 5

Because a lack of a god means there isn't a god? I don't see how that is hard to understand. If there isn't a red block shoved in my anus, there isn't one. See how that works? Crazy huh?





Anyway, everyone is born an atheist, and most people are atheists to most gods, I just go one farther. Why do you think it is logical to think that when I shoot someone that person dies? Because cause and effect, correct?



Cause==> Brain and heart stop working (Brain is our consciousness and everything about us so without that we are nothing)



effect==> nothingness





-.-

Answer 6

You can't 'experience' nothingness! Before you were born you were 'experiencing' nothingness is the only way to equate it.

Answer 7

its because or existence as we know is created by the brain via how it processes stimuli. Once we die the brain stops working thus our existence as we know it ends. That is my logic on the subject at least not sure about other atheists.

Answer 8

You make a claim. There is a God.



What is there before someone believes in a God? Nothing.



The absense of a God.



Are you retarded?



The default is not molesting children if your NOT a child rapist.

Answer 9

dont generalize. many religions are atheistic, taoism, buddhism, janism, some forms of hinduism, and they all believe that there is something like a soul though they dont agree on its definition. also many atheists are still spiritual. they just dont believe in an anthromphisized god

Answer 10

It has to do with the the invention of the number zero, we are counting from zero as the base.

Answer 11

Religion is false on it's own merits, regardless of anything else.

Answer 12

Because that's all we can observe. You just made up all those possibilities.

Answer 13

Enjoy your extreme fear of non-existence. Was it also distressing to you before you were born?

Answer 14

You are so right about that...atheism is a delusion within a delusion..for atheism to exist, religions must. Atheists: Why are you BOUND to this world? Seek wisdom. Seek further.