(P) Atheism and Critiques of Religious Belief

Question 1

What is atheism (inc strong and weak)?

Answer 1

Atheism: Lack of belief in the existence of God/gods (e.g. David Hume)

• Strong: Assertion that no deities exist e.g. Richard Dawkins
• Weak: Lack of belief in God e.g. Brian Cox

Question 2

What is agnosticism?

Answer 2

Belief it is impossible to know God, an indecisive approach to his existence

Question 3

What is materialism?

Answer 3

The belief that nothing exists except matter e.g. Jean Paul Sartre

Question 4

What is naturalism?

Answer 4

The belief that all arises from nature and supernatural/spiritual entities don’t exist e.g. Charles Darwin

Question 5

Which religions can be considered atheist?

Answer 5

Buddhism and Hinduism includes atheistic forms.

Question 6

Who said ‘I am an atheist and this means at least: I do not believe there is a god or any gods…no supernatural forces, no supernatural entities such as gods, or heavens, or hells…’

Answer 6

Madalyn Murray O’Hair, Founder of American Atheists Inc.

Question 7

For what reasons may someone adopt a position of atheism? (11)

Answer 7

• The view that there is no such being to whom the description ‘God’ can be given. E.g. logical positivism holds that ‘God’ is a metaphysical and therefore meaningless term.
• All apparent experiences of God can be accounted for in other ways. Samuel Butler wrote: ‘Theist and atheist - the fight between them is as to whether God shall be called God or have some other name. E.g. religious experience explained by hallucination
• The problem of evil and suffering.
• The view that believers are deluded or have been misled by religious leaders.
• Dislike and distrust in organised religion, leading to a rejection of the concept of God.
• Denial of expectations or propositions in the Bible.
• A hatred of religious beliefs and believers. This it ‘the sort of atheist who does not so much disbelieve in god as personally dislike him’ (George Orwell)
• The view that belief in God serves only to support those who are emotionally, intellectually, or psychologically weak.
• Loss of faith, unanswered prayer, false teachers and negative experiences of religion.
• Contradictory teachings and lack of logical coherence.
• Fear of the moral and spiritual accountability which usually accompanies religious belief.

Question 8

Which 4 ways can the philosophical problem of atheism vs. theism be set out?

Answer 8

X = God

• If X cannot be proved to exist, then X does not exist. This is a strong empirical position that rejects belief in anything that cannot be empirically proven.
• If X cannot be proved to exist, then X cannot be proved not to exist. This position renders both theism and atheism equally unsound.
• If X cannot be proved not to exist, then X must exist. If arguments against the existence of God fail, then by default God must exist.
• If X cannot be proved not to exist, then X may exist. Failure to disprove the existence of God does not render his existence necessary but it is probable.

Question 9

What’s the difference between sociological, psychological and popularist critiques of religious belief?

Answer 9

• Sociological: Religion is used to bring people together through a common purpose/belief system - in some instances it can be argued that it is/has been used to control the masses/has provoked conflict. e.g. Marx/Durkheim
• Psychological: Religion can be seen as a delusion or construct of the human mind. e.g. Freud
• Popularist: Aims to identify the obvious negative and, in some cases, alarming features of religion past and present