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Atheism vs. Agnosticism Explained!
Atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive! Atheism addresses belief claims, agnosticism addresses knowledge claims, where knowledge is a subset of belief. Justified true belief is the classical definition of knowledge and the necessary precondition for it: something cannot be known if ...
1. It isn’t true
2. It isn’t believed, and
3. It isn’t justified
(Without any of these three elements, there is no knowledge)
However, justified true belief is not a sufficient criterion to count as knowledge (not enough to constitute knowledge).
What more is needed to complete the definition of knowledge is an open question in philosophy. Knowledge has the following properties:
1. Knowledge is demonstrable
2. Knowledge is testable
3. Knowledge is verifiable
4. Knowledge has measurable accuracy
5. Knowledge is the successful acquisition of truth.
6. If you can’t show it, you don’t know it.
etc.
1. Agnostic Atheist = One does not believe god exists, but does not know (or claim to know) that god does not exist.
2. Agnostic Theist = One believes god exists, but does not know (or claim to know) that god exists.
3. Gnostic Atheist = One who believes there is no god and knows (or claims to know) god does not exist.
4. Gnostic Theist = One who believes god exists and knows (or claim to know) god exists.
Soft Atheism vs. Hard Atheism
Soft Atheism =
I do not believe ‘there is a god.’
Hard Atheism =
I believe ‘there is no god.”
In addition to disbelieving there is a god, I go one step further and claim that in fact ‘there is NO god’ - which leads me to hard atheism. Depending on the god claim and the definition of knowledge used, I also qualify as a Gnostic Atheist (based on a reasonable confidence level or maximal certainty.)
The set of hard atheists is a subset of soft atheists.I claim there is no god, but that is not necessary for atheism in general. Atheism is the rejection of theistic claims as unsupported by the evidence, therefore theistic claims do not warrant belief. Atheism is the lack of theism; theism being the belief there is a god. So, atheism is disbelief or failure to be convinced that god exists. Not all atheists assert ‘there is no god’. It is only necessary that an atheist disbelieve there is a god, and claiming “god does not exist” is not required for someone to be an atheist. Of course, believing god does not exist also implies the lack of a belief that god exists. Among the people who lack belief in a god, only a subset has the belief that no god exists.
Theism and atheism address belief that god exists. Gnosticism and agnosticism address knowledge that god exists.
Gnostic = knowing or claiming to know that god exists
Agnostic = not knowing or not claiming to know whether god exists, or claiming god’s existence is unknowable.
Most theists are gnostic.
Most atheists are agnostic.
For god propositions which are unfalsifiable, I do not make knowledge claims, and merely disbelieve them due to insufficient evidence. Theists assert there is a god. They carry the burden of proof. I am rationally justified in disbelieving god’s existence until such time as god has been demonstrated to exist.
Nothing is presumed to exist until such time as something has been demonstrated to exist - this is how I approach existential claims. The burden of proof is on the claimant, regardless of whether the claim is a positive claim or a negative claim. However, there is no burden of proof for one who rejects a claim.
In court, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the prosecution, which has the burden of proof, which must be met before the defendant is found guilty.
I consider god not guilty of existing.
In fact, I go one step further and assert that god is in fact innocent of existing.
I am an atheist primarily as a rational consequence of applying my skepticism to god claims. I am not convinced there is a god because theists have not met their burden of proof!
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