Question:
what do atheist believe in terms of philosophy, imagination?
steve
2008-11-29 01:16:53 UTC
I assume they believe that the universe doesn't need a reason to exist. I assume they believe that existence exists for no reason other than to exist. My question is, do atheist believe that there is any meaning to life other than to pass on DNA to the next generation? Do atheist form any philosophical thought that is based on perception rather than concrete evidence?
23 answers:
anonymous
2008-11-29 12:43:25 UTC
No two people are alike in

any belief or imagination look at

all the different religions how many

different philosophies in life or even

favorites foods or life experiences.

As cliche as this sounds it is true

Life is what you make it and life is

not always fair.

I take life as it comes one day at a

time doing my best to help others when

possible and to explore new information

and ideas.

To each his own

Live and let live
Taka
2008-11-29 01:24:15 UTC
"I assume they believe that the universe doesn't need a reason to exist."



Why would it?



"I assume they believe that existence exists for no reason other than to exist."



Why would we?



"My question is, do atheist believe that there is any meaning to life other than to pass on DNA to the next generation?"



What is yours?



"Do atheist form any philosophical thought that is based on perception rather than concrete evidence?"



Have you?



Atheists are philosophical, the religious are imaginative. You have no established view on any of these subjects, philosophical or otherwise, you were simply told what to think and believe. Pathetic.



How does it feel getting a rant response for a ranting statement?
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:30:43 UTC
Rocks don't need a reason to exist. The moon doesn't need a reason to exist to shine on us at night. I don't believe that scientists are 100% correct in their estimation of the Earth's age because I think it's beyond the capacity of our little brains to determine such an old, old thing. And I don't think it matters.



About our purpose ... I think we are here to learn. Not to learn to be good but to learn that being a good person gives a more profound sense of well-being and satisfaction than being a jerk or a mass murderer does. If we become a mass murderer, then we just have. We learn from that. If we are Mother Theresa, we learn from that. It helps us when we die and return, consciously, to the mass consciousness that is waiting for us to come back and tell everything we've learned.



But then, I'm agnostic.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:29:23 UTC
Even concrete evidence passes through the filter of perception. In terms of explanations to how the world operates, I'm a metaphysical naturalist. No supernatural causation. In the purely biological sense, the continued survival of our genetic makeup IS the only purpose to life, but them we're more than simply biological machines. We're also cognitive beings, and as conscious thinking creatures, we have the privilege of determining purpose and meaning for ourselves. It's not necessary to appeal to the divine, or concepts like destiny or providence. Meaning is flexible, and trying to arrive at ultimate conclusions will almost always result in failure to realize those conclusions.



Want some food for thought? I recommend reading Asimov's short story "The Final Question." Science fiction, no doubt, but since you seem to think that atheists lack imagination, perhaps this will sway your opinion.



Though I loath to recommend it to religious types, because of their tendency to twist the idea in favor ID, you also might want to look into the anthropic principle.



http://anthropic-principle.org/



NOTE: This does NOT automatically point to the presumption of intelligent design. Try to read up on the hypothesis without a religious bias.



Get bent, steve. I've had more education in philosophy than you have, I can almost guarantee that, and unlike you, I recognize the intellectual poverty that comes from metaphysics, which is basically what religion and theology are in a bastard form.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:43:07 UTC
And what is your reason for living? So you can serve a jealous, insecure god who commits genocide? You are just one of those people who needs an instant answer for everything. Being an atheist means to understand that we may never find the answers, but we will keep searching. That's the whole point of philosophy, to keep searching for truth. You are satisified with a book of fairy tales. If you truly were philosophical you would go beyond a book and examine everything.
malaynasem3
2008-11-29 01:46:39 UTC
actually i do believe were here for a reason i think that a chemical reaction caused the spark of life on our planet, and were the result of a peetree dish that had billions of years to grow. i don't think nothing exists in the term of a higher life form but i don't find think any fundamental religions are right, i don't need a heaven or hell to make me be a good person and im glad life ends after death.
Dean M
2008-11-29 01:29:46 UTC
I would rather have the universe exist, simply for the reason to exist, than have it be some universal test tube experiment made for us to suffer in order to have peace. That is just twisted in my view.



Also, I really haven't met too many theists that were capable of philosophical discussions, most of you are too effing close minded.
?
2016-10-02 01:16:16 UTC
hey I dont understand approximately you yet i'm an aastrologer. and we desire the term azodiaddict. yet I actual have met plenty greater atheists at present than interior the previous so it is unquestionably becoming. And at present i've got observed plenty fewer christians question me if meaning I worship the devil so curiously the two the devil worshippers are becoming around or atheists have dilligently been informing christians that no longer believing in god ability no longer believing in angels besides. sure some church homes are coaching tolerance yet tolerance is thoroughly crushed via the type of folk who attempt to transform me, and have faith no person has advised me "yet what in case you're incorrect?" reason sooner or later i'm gonna verify out that man or woman and say "OMG thats under no circumstances occured to me." i do no longer think of it is going to ever have a great connotation. as long as they nevertheless think of we can burn in hell invariably, and as long as they proceed to think of this is a huge gamble than has ANY relavence what-so-ever--then they won't in any respect have the skill to work out the useful in us. they won't in any respect have the skill to work out an atheist as something greater beneficial than kindling for hell. So no. it is not getting greater useful mild in any respect. we are only greater knowledgeable (considering that maximum atheists have been born Christian and had to detect what they disagree with. and we had to make useful we werent quite followers of Jainism or Buddhism so maximum folk researched those besides). and because maximum folk of the U. S. is christian, we've heard an analogous arguement lower back and lower back, so we argue greater useful factors. that's the better preparation point and the skillful use of the English language that made you think of it grew to become into useful.
ozzy
2008-11-29 01:43:49 UTC
Imagination or imaginary is the fanciful fantasies,plot and schemes of religion.And likewise the philosophers or sophists of sophistry and fallacious reasoners.Scurrilous theorists of speculation,assumption etc. The atheists won't be fooled by tripe and farce,hope that answers your question.
Chelz
2008-11-29 01:20:04 UTC
You're assuming that the atheists have a unified belief system, which is like assuming all guys named Bob have the same favorite color.



+ Read into Buddhism. Most Buddhists are atheists and they obviously have spiritual beliefs.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:23:26 UTC
nothing spiritual! seems like you got us Atheist right! Nature is cruel and existence of life is not bad at all to think the way we think. Religion is against nature and to the whole meaning of life.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:24:39 UTC
Well..is there a reason to exist?

What is a christian's reason to exist.

To please his master and attain heaven?

Isn't that pretty pathetic.

l live a moral life because that is inherently the right thing to do.

I have achieved things, not based on pleasing a god, but because I have talent and determination.

My life on earth is complete, without having to worry about an afterlife

I will die a happy man knowing I have achieved what I have without any godly intervention
anonymous
2008-12-02 04:28:27 UTC
The meaning of life is to make the world a better place.



It certainly isn't to mumble to the sky and chalk up cruelty and compassion to invisible fairy-demons in an eternal invisible war for our souls.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:21:34 UTC
Being an Atheist does NOT define who you are or what your philosophical perspective might be- it is simply an aspect of it. Of course we do.



Lots of us are fiction writers and romantics. We aren't cold hearted bastards- I assure you. We are actually, I find, much more open minded than other people.
Spazzy- McGee
2008-11-29 01:38:50 UTC
Atheism doesn't have a set system of beliefs, it is the default belief, the lack of belief. Theism just happens to be more popular right now.



I am an atheist and deterministic... if you liked to know.
terafloop
2008-11-29 01:24:09 UTC
We make a great mistake to imagine that there is just one reason which is the same for everyone. Maybe spirituality is your bag, and that's great, but I think it's bullshit, so I live my life for other reasons, reasons which might bore you to death. To each her own.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:22:04 UTC
I believe in Epicurus' philosophy for one.



Update: Okay, let's assume for one second for the sake of argument that we have no sense of spirituality - what does that change exactly? How does it affect life in any way?
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:23:09 UTC
being atheist doesn't make us stupid, which that is what your judging us as.

I as an atheist, believe in a forever learning and living process.

and so for me, nothing stops at nothing.

especially at a god.

I mean its a sweet story, but really were you there?

how did you know.

by faith?

what faith do you have?

a book?

okay and I have faith in harry potter same thing.



Were looking for truth,

not by means of religion.

or "faith"
Miche Abrahmz
2008-11-29 04:08:00 UTC
My philosophy is you are a troll. My kind like to have little dolls of you lot, that we hang by the hair on our rear view mirrors.
CrystalWren
2008-11-29 01:44:06 UTC
An Atheist's Creed:



'These truths I hold to be self-evident:



We are human beings, intelligent and self-aware, possessing both reason and emotion, with the potential for immense good as well as terrible evil. Which of these two comes to be depends on our choices.



Every human being possesses inherent worth, and every human life is equally valuable. Our conscious existence is a thing worthwhile for its own sake, requiring no further justification.



By the exercise of our free will, we can select our own purpose and imbue our lives with meaning. Each person has the right and the responsibility to steer their own course through life.



Through the use of reason and conscience, we can perceive morality, defined as the principles of behavior which produce the greatest happiness and the least suffering both now and in the future. Morality is not dependent on personal opinion or societal prejudice, but is objective and universal and is accessible to every intelligent being. We should, to the best of our ability, obey these principles and be good to each other.



Human beings possess fundamental rights and freedoms upon which no one may infringe. Among these are freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, freedom of association, the right to privacy, the right to an education, the right to live in peace and safety, and the right to seek happiness.



There is a world that exists independently of us, which is not altered by will alone, but which we can learn about and come to understand and control.



Only through reason and the scientific method can we hope to learn how the world works. No other method of gaining knowledge is reliable and all claims to knowledge not gained through this method should be considered suspect.



The free human intelligence is a thing of awesome power, and has the right to travel and explore wherever it desires to go. No reason can ever justify the censorship or suppression of ideas.



The only ethical form of government is democracy. Every society has both the right and the obligation to revolt against and overthrow any other system.



The purpose of government is to establish justice, insure peace, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to all its citizens. Any government that does not speak for all its citizens equally or that ignores the needs of its most needy members deserves to be removed from power at once.



Wealth and power can only be a means to an end and never an end in themselves.



Throughout history, human beings have created a vast number of religious belief systems, all of which describe a supernatural world beyond our own. There is no good evidence in favor of any of these belief systems and no reason to consider any of them to be true. Supernaturalism and superstition have never done anything more than harm us, turn us against each other and hold us back. The effort and resources we pour into religion should instead be used for the benefit of all our fellow human beings.



And finally, I affirm that despite all our flaws and follies, despite all the darkness and madness in our past, and despite the forces of ignorance and hatred that beset us as never before, there is and will always be hope. We human beings have undreamed-of potential which we are only just beginning to touch on, and as long as people of courage and principle are willing to stand and defend what is right, we can create for ourselves and our descendants a future of bright light and clear air, a better world where we have at last achieved the good it was always in our power to bring about."





A woman came knocking on my father's door the other week. She said, "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal saviour?" My father politely asked her to go away. My father is quietly spiritual, but he has always taken the view that one's relationship with God is a personal matter between God and oneself. Besides that, all his life he had watched people use their religion to abuse their power over others and a long time ago he had come to the conclusion that religion =/= God. They are very different beasts and are by no means mutually inclusive. Also, our country is intensely multicultural, to the point where religion is never discussed with strangers, much like politics. With one in four of our population being born outside the country, it's really a given that you will offend someone and badly.



She said, "So you have not accepted Christ as your personal saviour," at which point he abused her for putting words into his mouth and told her to get the hell out of his property. Which she did, but as she did so she insisted on stuffing the mailbox with bits of dead trees saturated with chemical dyes.



There is a moral to this story, but judging by your comments, arrogance, and unfortunate level of literacy, you will probably never understand it.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:19:25 UTC
To enjoy life.
anonymous
2008-11-29 01:20:08 UTC
Nope. I'm here to be here and I'm loving it. Excuse me while I climb a tree.
Dr. Socks
2008-11-29 01:19:48 UTC
Confucious was atheist/agnostic


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