• starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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    27 days ago

    Disbelief just means not believing something. Not believing that a claim is true is not the same as believing that that claim is false. A lack of belief in any deities is not the same as a belief in a lack of any deities.

    The prefix a- means without. If one is without theism, then they are a-theist. There is no third option. You have theism or you don’t. Having no belief one way or the other means you don’t have it.

    • insurrection@mstdn.social
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      27 days ago

      you can suspend judgement. that’s the reasonable thing to do. it’s literally the middle ground between accepting and rejecting a claim.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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        27 days ago

        I really don’t know how many other ways I can put it. Theism is defined as accepting the claim that there is at least one deity. You either do that or you don’t. You’re either theist or you’re not. If you’re some third option, that means you’re not theist. if you’re not theist, you’re without theism. The word for when you’re without theism is atheist.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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        27 days ago

        I’m about to flip a coin.

        Can we make sure we’re on the same page regarding the definition of belief? As I understand it, belief means accepting a claim. Disbelief means not accepting a claim.

        Do you accept the claim that this coin will land heads? This is a yes or no question. If you withhold judgment, that means you do not accept that claim. You do not believe it will land heads. This is notably different from accepting the claim that it will land tails. Not believing that it will land heads is not the same as believing that it will land tails.

        The most reasonable position is to not accept either claim. It’s a 50/50 chance.

        Theism means accepting the claim that there is at least one deity. You either do that or you don’t. Any option you take that involves not accepting the claim that there is at least one deity means that you aren’t theist. You are without theism. There’s a word for that.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          27 days ago

          Theism means accepting the claim that there is at least one deity.

          Are you going to define Animists and Daoists as Atheists?

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      27 days ago

      The prefix a- means without.

      Also, it often means “on,” “in,” or “at” (e.g., abed, ashore) or indicates a state of being (e.g., ablaze). It can also mean “in a manner” (e.g., aloud)

      But now you’re getting into etamology, not colloquial application.

      Atheism, at it’s heart, is an ideology. Agnosticism isn’t.

      • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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        27 days ago

        You want to get into colloquial application? Here’s some colloquial application

        Here’s some more. If you know who Rationality Rules is and don’t like him, then it’s worth noting that this came out before his controversy

        Here’s some more

        Here’s Wiktionary’s take. That page lists both definitions.

        Colloquially, I call myself an atheist. That’s not an ideology, it’s just an answer to the question of whether or not I accept the claim that there is at least one deity.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          27 days ago

          Colloquially, I call myself an atheist.

          You’re really just making my point for me. You’re deeply ideological and heavily invested in Atheism as a philosophy.

          Agnostics generally don’t get this worked up. One reason why “Militant Agnostic” isn’t a thing.