Atheist beliefs

[The Atheist]

Thread discussion elsewhere has raised the question of what percentage of atheists are actually strong material atheists.

It's clear from an Australian poll that lots of atheists have weird beliefs and the comment was made that everyone has an irrational belief. I believe that's BS myself, because while lots of us may believe things which are wrong, we're able to change our minds when presented with evidence.

The evidence is, however, abundantly clear that atheists are capable of believing in miracles, homeopathy and even angels.

David Icke is an atheist, as are panspermians, and there are clearly huge numbers of atheists who believe in all sorts of "new age" baloney. I know atheists who are astrology nuts and others who are ready and willing to believe the most flagrant bulldust at the drop of a phony statistic.

Others believe that "love" is something inexplicable, and while I don't think it's possible to prove that wrong, I can make a coherent case for it being nothing more than biological conditioning plus a few thousand years of human construct. Buddhists are atheists, but certainly not materialists.

I'm not asking what your own brand of atheism is, although it's probably pertinent if you say so in a post, but what is your perception of how many atheists are hard or strong materialist atheists?

Yes, I know the 70-90% is screwed up, but I can't edit it.

 

[Cavemonster]

Worldwide?
Probably the minority, maybe a small minority.
Look at Buddhists, Chinese Atheists, members of former USSR countries brought up as Atheists. Largely groups that have a lot of their own superstitions, and I'd be surprised is they didn't outnumber materialist atheists by a degree of magnitude.

 

[Malerin]

Worldwide?
Probably the minority, maybe a small minority.
Look at Buddhists, Chinese Atheists, members of former USSR countries brought up as Atheists. Largely groups that have a lot of their own superstitions, and I'd be surprised is they didn't outnumber materialist atheists by a degree of magnitude.

I took "atheist" to mean people who would use that term to describe themselves. Buddhists who are technically atheists probably don't call themselves atheists.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Actually, that poll doesn't say atheists believe in those things. It's a good read, you should try it.

 

[Gate2501]

I'm friggin' confused by this poll.

What is a "strong material atheist" and is it different than a materialist in terms of the monist philosophy which states that all that exists is matter and that which interacts with matter?

 

[Malerin]

Actually, that poll doesn't say atheists believe in those things. It's a good read, you should try it.

It also doesn't say what kind of atheists we are talking about. Does the poll refer to strong atheists, weak atheists, or all atheists?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

 

[Gate2501]

It also doesn't say what kind of atheists we are talking about. Does the poll refer to strong atheists, weak atheists, or all atheists?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

I'm guessing that it was a rather generic question about atheism. So it probably encompasses all varieties.

 

[Malerin]

I'm friggin' confused by this poll.

What is a "strong material atheist" and is it different than a materialist in terms of the monist philosophy which states that all that exists is matter and that which interacts with matter?

I usually take it to mean physical matter exists, nothing has a supernatural cause, objects continue to exist when you're not thinking about them, etc.

 

[Malerin]

I'm guessing that it was a rather generic question about atheism. So it probably encompasses all varieties.

Probably. If we're throwing buddhists into the atheist pot, I should have voted differently.

 

[Cavemonster]

I took "atheist" to mean people who would use that term to describe themselves. Buddhists who are technically atheists probably don't call themselves atheists.

He mentioned Buddhists in the OP, so I assumed the broadest definition. You're right though, it's quite vague, and if we were talking about self identified Atheists, the breakdown would be very different.

 

[Gate2501]

Bah. I can't answer this poll.

I am an atheist, but I don't make any declarations about the ultimate nature of reality. I can only say that I am not a dualist of any sort.

 

[The Atheist]

Worldwide?
Probably the minority, maybe a small minority.
Look at Buddhists, Chinese Atheists, members of former USSR countries brought up as Atheists. Largely groups that have a lot of their own superstitions, and I'd be surprised is they didn't outnumber materialist atheists by a degree of magnitude.

Me too. I voted 0-10%

I took "atheist" to mean people who would use that term to describe themselves. Buddhists who are technically atheists probably don't call themselves atheists.

Buddhists do describe themselves as atheist. we have some on this board.

Actually, that poll doesn't say atheists believe in those things. It's a good read, you should try it.

Interesting you should bring up reading and comprehension, because you clearly need to read the OP again.

If you think no atheists believe in homeopathy, pansermia or other crazy ****, fire away.

I'm friggin' confused by this poll.

What is a "strong material atheist" and is it different than a materialist in terms of the monist philosophy which states that all that exists is matter and that which interacts with matter?

No, exactly the same.

Terminology may vary.

It also doesn't say what kind of atheists we are talking about. Does the poll refer to strong atheists, weak atheists, or all atheists?

All atheists, which is why I gave examples of some.

I usually take it to mean physical matter exists, nothing has a supernatural cause, objects continue to exist when you're not thinking about them, etc.

That would be a material atheist.

Bah. I can't answer this poll.

I am an atheist, but I don't make any declarations about the ultimate nature of reality. I can only say that I am not a dualist of any sort.

Luckily, I did say that I wasn't interested in your own opinion, but wanted to know what percentage of all atheists are materialist.

So, you could answer the poll if you read the instructions correctly.

 

[Gate2501]

Luckily, I did say that I wasn't interested in your own opinion, but wanted to know what percentage of all atheists are materialist.

So, you could answer the poll if you read the instructions correctly.

Right, but how can I judge what other atheists think when I don't even take on a position on such matters as an atheist myself?

I don't think that atheism has that much to do with taking up a position on the ultimate nature of reality. It is a rejection of theism due to lack of evidence, not a rejection of theism because reality is or isn't ultimately material on some non-explorable philosophical level.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I don't know.

 

[Agular]

Right, but how can I judge what other atheists think when I don't even take on a position on such matters as an atheist myself?

I don't think that atheism has that much to do with taking up a position on the ultimate nature of reality. It is a rejection of theism due to lack of evidence, not a rejection of theism because reality is or isn't ultimately material on some non-explorable philosophical level.

Agreed. The poll makes little sense. Maybe better to ask how many xtians are materialists given Jesus's teachings.

 

[qayak]

Agreed. The poll makes little sense. Maybe better to ask how many xtians are materialists given Jesus's teachings.

It's not just the poll, the OP makes little sense as well.

Buddhists are atheists? Really?

 

[JoeTheJuggler]

Me too. I voted 0-10%

That'd be my guess, but I didn't vote in the poll because I really don't have anything to base it on. I might find out some more in a few weeks. . .

Buddhists do describe themselves as atheist. we have some on this board.

Some Buddhists are atheists. Some are not. Also some (e.g. Tibetan, or at least the Americanized version) might call themselves atheists, but are certainly not materialists or naturalists.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Bah. I can't answer this poll.

I am an atheist, but I don't make any declarations about the ultimate nature of reality. I can only say that I am not a dualist of any sort.

He's asking a bald man what color hair he has. Very odd question. The man might have had hair at one point, and that hair had a color THEN. Or the person might be naturally bald, and so never had a hair color. But in neither instance is the color of the hair germane to the man's head.

 

[fromdownunder]

Since the poll appears to be asking me how many atheists I think are strong materialists, I can only answer "Not a Clue". I can only speak for myself, as I do not know enough atheists to make a judgement on this subject. Not even in Gallup Poll terms.

Norm

 

[Cynic]

I voted 11-20%, assuming this refers to people who identify as atheists.