Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Criticism of atheism is criticism of the concepts, validity, or impact of atheism, including associated political and social implications.Criticisms include positions based on the history of science, philosophical and logical criticisms, findings in both the natural and social sciences, theistic apologetic arguments, arguments pertaining to ethics and morality, the effects of atheism on the ...
Many people are hesitant to identify as atheists because of social stigma they may face, making it hard to pinpoint connections and differences among this group. Why people are reluctant to call ...
Discrimination against atheists, sometimes called atheophobia, [1] atheistophobia, [2] or anti-atheism, [3] [4] both at present and historically, includes persecution of and discrimination against people who are identified as atheists. Discrimination against atheists may be manifested by negative attitudes, prejudice, hostility, hatred, fear ...
The most important Greek thinker in the development of atheism was Epicurus (c. 300 BCE). [62] Drawing on the ideas of Democritus and the Atomists, he espoused a materialistic philosophy according to which the universe was governed by the laws of chance without the need for divine intervention (see scientific determinism ). [ 63 ]
Writers disagree on how best to define and classify atheism, [8] contesting what supernatural entities are considered gods, whether atheism is a philosophical position or merely the absence of one, and whether it requires a conscious, explicit rejection; however, the norm is to define atheism in terms of an explicit stance against theism.
In Islam, atheists are categorized as kafir , a term that is also used to describe polytheists , and that translates roughly as "denier" or "concealer". Kafir carries connotations of blasphemy and disconnection from the Islamic community. In Arabic, "atheism" is generally translated ilhad , although this also means "heresy".
In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. [2] [3] Most inclusively, atheism is simply the absence of belief that any deities exist. [3] [4] Atheism is contrasted with theism, [5] [6] which in its most general form is the belief that at least one deity exists. [6] [7]
Positive atheism, also called strong atheism and hard atheism, is the form of atheism that additionally asserts that no deities exist. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] The terms "negative atheism" and "positive atheism" were used by Antony Flew in 1976 [ 1 ] and have appeared in George H. Smith 's [ 4 ] and Michael Martin 's writings since 1990.