Sounds like Atheism, like all belief systems, empowered an asshole with self-righteous validation. Even if you bet on the right horse, it doesn’t mean everything you do is automatically justified; empathy is a higher order law.
Atheism isn’t really a belief system by itself. It can refer to a lot of things, including positive atheism (the claim that there is not/cannot be a god/supernatural entity), negative atheism (the lack of belief in a deity due to lack of evidence), the absence of religion and many other things. Militant atheism, on the other hand, definitely counts and is susceptible to all the failings you mentioned.
It’s not called militant atheism, you’re describing anti-theism. I’ve never heard of atheism claiming definitively that there are no deities or higher powers either, just that since there’s no evidence the claims aren’t worth consideration and can be dismissed as nonsense.
Like every religion, I’ve met good ones and bad ones. People just pretend there aren’t bad atheists for some reason.
I call bad atheism “The Cult of the Void”. They believe that, after you die, there is just oblivion. They have no more empirical evidence for this than any other belief system, but they’re absolutely convinced they’re correct, and will shit on everyone else’s beliefs as being “unscientific”. I’ve seen them reduce kids to tears, framing death as a terrifying and brutal thing. They seem obsessed with death, it’s the centrepoint of their religion.
They usually recruit by bullying and negging people into believing their beliefs are stupid, and framing their religion as the only logical one. In the presence of any other religion or spiritual practices, they get petulant and usually start harassing people. God forbid anyone have any other culture.
The good atheists are respectful and curious. They don’t share the belief, but they’ll participate, or politely decline. They don’t harass people or denigrate their beliefs. They probably outnumber the bad ones, but it’s the whole “vocal minority” thing that makes it seem like they’re everywhere. You don’t notice the quiet ones that are just existing happily.
I call bad atheism “The Cult of the Void”. They believe that, after you die, there is just oblivion. They have no more empirical evidence for this than any other belief system
How about that your entire world is constructed based on your brain and if that goes so does everything else? You can even temporarily change your world with drugs, some people are born with naturally damaged brains, schizophrenics believe people are chasing them even when they’re not for example
It’s a bit like saying if you lose a leg it doesn’t go to another dimension it just dies, same thing with your brain, there is no evidence to suggest the synapses that compose and construct your world suddenly transform into some angel dust and transport you to another dimension
I’ve seen them reduce kids to tears, framing death as a terrifying and brutal thing.
Why would death be scary? You get a free preview every night 😃
By your definition dreams are not death. Unless you’re one of those people that have no dreams at all, in which case my condolences.
The rest of your argument has nothing to do with anything. Schizophrenia, drugs, brain damage, none of that matters at all. You’re extrapolating an afterlife based on unrelated data. You’re trying to prove the unprovable using “science” that doesn’t make sense and grasping for straws.
The fact is, you don’t know for sure, you just have very strong faith in your own beliefs. Which is fine, it doesn’t bother me what other people choose to believe in. But it doesn’t make your beliefs “better” or “more scientific” than anyone else’s beliefs. It’s just popular right now for some reason. There was a time when Christianity was considered scientifically obvious as well, you know.
Also why are you using multiple alt accounts to post here? Seems a bit strange.
The fact is, you don’t know for sure, you just have very strong faith in your own beliefs.
This is literally just projection on your end. Every. Single. Religion. assumes an afterlife that they describe. The “afterlife” of Atheism you describe is just following the idea of the “null hypothesis” from the scientific method. Go look it up of Wikipedia and educate yourself.
People just pretend there aren’t bad atheists for some reason.
What are you talking about? >90% of the time it’s the other way around. Most of the time, people don’t think about atheism unless they’re bashing them.
I call bad atheism “The Cult of the Void”. They believe that, after you die, there is just oblivion. They have no more empirical evidence for this than any other belief system,
Just stop, you don’t understand what you’re talking about. The idea behind it is “we have no evidence for any of the claims so we must stick with the default hypothesis of ‘nothing’”. It’s basic scientific method.
They usually recruit by bullying and negging people into believing their beliefs are stupid
No, they don’t. Just the assholes, which are a minority. Meanwhile every religion tries to brainwash kids while they’re young, often threatening them with eternal hellfire if they step out of line.
The good atheists are respectful and curious.
Well this is going in a good direction at least
They don’t share the belief
So the “good” ones are the ones that only sit down and shut up? Fuck off with that. There’s a spectrum of ways to respectfully share your own opinions
You don’t notice the quiet ones that are just existing happily.
You’re clearly only adding this last line in here to give yourself a façade of reason, like the religious version of “I’m not racist, but”
for point 1 that’s likely true but I think they probably meant in a certain group like some specific atheist group or in their experience idk.
2 fair enough.
3 They did mention those were “the bad ones” if I remember correctly, I think you just quite said the samr thing they said.
So the “good” ones are the ones that only sit down and shut up? Fuck off with that. There’s a spectrum of ways to respectfully share your own opinions
They said politely decline too. I mean sure you could idk discuss stuff or idk. In this specific scenario you decline or accept so like it’s just about the way you decline in this specific situation.
You’re clearly only adding this last line in here to give yourself a façade of reason, like the religious version of “I’m not racist, but”
hehe “I’m not racist butt” – “ok”
I like asdfmovie
Anyways I was saying Idk I don’t think it was in bad faith or uh, the person might’ve maybe been somewhat misinformed idk how to spell.
But yea I probably should’ve read the response to your comment before writing this to gather more info lolz. I read it says you identofy with the bad type of atheist but I think it’s just more likely you like just skimmrd the comment or something silly.
Self identifying as the asshole type with your hateful response. I don’t mind people sharing their views and beliefs. I do mind when people say theirs is the only correct / logical one. I find that almost every atheist in online spaces is insufferable like this.
Of course there’s people who will read the Bible and ignore the parts they don’t agree with and then hit their kids. That’s kind of the point of this entire thread, that being a jerk isn’t actually tied to your religion at all, people will always find a way to be unkind.
Your entire comment is full of bad faith arguments and bias.
It’s clear from your words that you think all atheists are assholes, inferior, or both, and you’re not actually looking for a discussion.
In this thread you’ve done nothing but demonstrate that you’re intellectually and morally bankrupt while trying to pretend that everyone else is the problem.
I never said all, and I never said they’re inferior. I’m pointing out a real problem where a lot of atheists act with prejudice to all religion and spiritual people. They often believe they’re morally and intellectually superior, while pretending that all religion is the problem, and use bad faith arguments (using your own words, thanks for proving my points).
Some of the smartest, kindest people I know happen to be religious, but you would condemn them. There’s nothing stopping you from being someone that respects others’ beliefs, who happens to be atheist. We don’t have to be incompatible, and it confuses me why you choose to be.
If you want me to respect you, stop attacking people when they talk about their beliefs, and don’t call them stupid or illogical or unscientific. Try reflecting on why my list of grievances upsets you so much. Do they sound familiar maybe?
Some of the smartest, kindest people I know happen to be religious, but you would condemn them.
Would I? You have no idea. You don’t know me; you’re clearly making things up because you don’t actually want address yourown biases.
If you want me to respect you, stop attacking people when they talk about their beliefs,
When did I do that? All I did was call you out ob your dishonest arguements regarding Atheism.
We don’t have to be incompatible, and it confuses me why you choose to be.
I’m arguing against you because you’re making incorrect, bad faith arguments about Atheism. If you don’t want me to argue with you, then don’t go on here acting like Tucker Carlson.
You’re the one being a villain in this thread. The adult thing to do would be for you to recognize that and shut up. But you seem incapable of considering that you can be the villain and continue talking.
If you want me to respect you, stop attacking people when they talk about their beliefs,
When did I do that? All I did was call you out ob your dishonest arguements regarding Atheism
Also here’s a list of insults you’ve leveled at me so far in this thread, since you seem to need a reminder.
list
You’re the one being a villain in this thread. The adult thing to do would be for you to recognize that and shut up. But you seem incapable of considering that you can be the villain and continue talking.
Grow up.
In this thread you’ve done nothing but demonstrate that you’re intellectually and morally bankrupt while trying to pretend that everyone else is the problem.
Get over yourself.
Fuck off with that.
You’re clearly only adding this last line in here to give yourself a façade of reason, like the religious version of “I’m not racist, *but*”
Read my original comment again. I only highlighted things you guys do that are not nice to be around.
Many times you’ve accused me of writing things I never did. Again, I never said all, you’re not all evil, but you guys often have this persecution complex where you emotionally and violently react to all spirituality in your presence. Especially online, in forums like Lemmy and Reddit. It’s like you lose your ability to read accurately and just make up things I never wrote.
I don’t believe I deserve this kind of treatment for just pointing out what it’s like “on the other side of the fence”. You seem perfectly happy to say all religion is evil and brain washes children, then turn around and say I’m making bad faith arguments for only pointing out ugly behaviours like you’re showcasing right now.
I don’t even know what you’re expecting me to say. Do you want me to apologise and say I’m wrong for listing factual things that have actually happened to me? That are happening literally right now?
Many times you’ve accused me of writing things I never did.
You started this comment chain going out of your way to stereotype atheism as a hostile cult with multiple examples of bad-faith arguments. Go reread your original comment yourself.
but you guys often have this persecution complex
Again, go reread your original comment. This is pure hypocrisy.
Also, accusing me of violence? You’re the one making accusations here. I’ve never threatened violence against you. Seriously, you need to go through a lot of self reflection.
You seem perfectly happy to say all religion is evil and brain washes children, then turn around and say I’m making bad faith arguments for only pointing out ugly behaviours like you’re showcasing right now.
Ah, yes. Of course calling people out for brainwashing and abusing of power is just as bad as doing those in the first place. /s
I don’t even know what you’re expecting me to say.
Rethink your arguments. As I’ve said before, they aren’t good arguments. You did not enter this thread to have a respectful discussion, given your assertions are the only good Atheists are the ones that sit down and don’t talk back, while religious people get to evangelize all they want. It’s a complete double-standard.
Do you want me to apologise and say I’m wrong for listing factual things that have actually happened to me? That are happening literally right now?
Again, this reeks of a persecution complex. You want to know what I want? I want double-standards and bad faith arguments to end. If you stopped doing that I wouldn’t bother responding. If that’s too hard for you, the block button is right there.
Atheism is as much a belief as bald is a haircut. Technically slightly different, but makes sense to throw into the same box.
Learning that being right doesn’t make you not an arsehole is a lesson too many of us had to learn the hard way.
The satanic temple’s 7th tenet sums it up quite well.
Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
Atheism is as much a belief as bald is a haircut. Technically slightly different
Only theists try to bring atheism down to a belief system.
By that logic: absence of being on fire is kind of being on fire. Not drowning is a specific type of drowning. Vacuum is a particular form of atmosphere. Being an idiot is just a form of wisdom.
Atheism does require belief. Even if it’s only in the axioms of physics.
As per my analogy, bald is not a haircut, but an absence of hair. You would be hard pressed to find a bald person who complained about it being lumped in with haircuts in a form.
Recognising the limits to our own knowledge is an important part of finding the truth.
Oh and the options “on fire” and “not on fire” obviously belong in the same grouping, even if they are different things.
Atheism does require belief. Even if it’s only in the axioms of physics.
Interestingly, a diet poor in Omega-3 leads to inability to distinguish between belief and fact.
Please go on such a diet.
Now you’re confusing atheism - lack of belief in deities - with general knowledge of science, and then confusing general knowledge of science with belief. You are also confusing empirical evidence with faih.
I’m scientifically trained (physics specifically), I’m also an atheist myself. I believe, based on a preponderance of evidence, that no creator being exists. The exception possibly being the simulation hypothesis. However, without specific evidence of that, the chances are extremely slim so I default to the null, aka atheism.
Interestingly, science has very few “facts”. Facts are mostly a thing of mathematics , which can create rigorous proofs. There is a lot of evidence in science, along with predictions and theories, but few facts.
E.g. I don’t know, for a fact, that the sun will rise in 1 year’s time. The evidence says it’s practically a certainty, but it is not a true “fact”. It’s a prediction based on an absurdly large evidence base.
So technically, in math we refer to the core “ideas” from which all mathematics is derived as axioms, which we hold to be true until found to be false/self-contradictory/redundant. We arrive at these by describing the world, so it’s more like - “if you agree to the following statements, then you must also agree to the entirety of mathematics”.
Continuing with the occupational pedantry, I think there is some confusion lies in conflating “fact (repeatable observation)” with “fact (tested causal mechanism)”
So, kinda not really, but kinda? This is more philosophy but i think the idea is that as long as we can ensure that “there exists a statement for which there is a piece of evidence that can prove a statement false, but no evidence exists after significant testing and experiments” IRL we can use this interchangeably with “I have found a causal mechanism that causes this phenomena and can replicate the effect while controlling for confounding variables”. Statements under both are true and correct to the best of our understanding.
I used to be big on atheism but I do think it is also a belief system now. I realized that when a christian friend asked me “if we witnessed something that is indisputably an act of God, would you still believe he doesn’t exist ?”
So, anyway, I say I’m agnostic and that I really dislike organized religion now.
As if there were any other way to hold any kind of opinion about what could be beyond the bounds of reality as we know it, but to just bet on shit we don’t know the first thing about. It’s all just bets. Nobody knows and everyone is pretending that not only are they right but their rightness is of a superior quality than the claimed rightness of others. They’re still all just blind morons betting on horse races that are fixed by minds far closer to the truth and in control of it than they.
The people standing in the park trying to tease out which horse is fastest from previous observations have the advantage over anyone just going with their feelings.
They especially have the advantage over the people standing outside who are pretending there are magical centaurs in the park that grant wishes if you’re not gay.
The people standing in the park trying to tease out which horse is fastest from previous observations have the advantage over anyone just going with their feelings.
No, the metaphor breaks down at that point because there is no peeking over the wall, there is no listening to talk from inside the stables. We’re not even at the track. It’s all shit that is beyond observation, beyond calculation, beyond any kind of verification or validation. It is a thing nobody has any good reason to act like they know anything about in a scientific capacity.
Sounds like Atheism, like all belief systems, empowered an asshole with self-righteous validation. Even if you bet on the right horse, it doesn’t mean everything you do is automatically justified; empathy is a higher order law.
Anon forgot that having an asshole doesn’t mean you should regularly act like one.
Atheism isn’t really a belief system by itself. It can refer to a lot of things, including positive atheism (the claim that there is not/cannot be a god/supernatural entity), negative atheism (the lack of belief in a deity due to lack of evidence), the absence of religion and many other things. Militant atheism, on the other hand, definitely counts and is susceptible to all the failings you mentioned.
It’s not called militant atheism, you’re describing anti-theism. I’ve never heard of atheism claiming definitively that there are no deities or higher powers either, just that since there’s no evidence the claims aren’t worth consideration and can be dismissed as nonsense.
I believe what you are describing is Agnosticism, which questions the existence of God but doesn’t claim there isn’t one either.
Atheism afaik does claim that something like a God can’t/doesn’t exist (or Anti-theism).
Like every religion, I’ve met good ones and bad ones. People just pretend there aren’t bad atheists for some reason.
I call bad atheism “The Cult of the Void”. They believe that, after you die, there is just oblivion. They have no more empirical evidence for this than any other belief system, but they’re absolutely convinced they’re correct, and will shit on everyone else’s beliefs as being “unscientific”. I’ve seen them reduce kids to tears, framing death as a terrifying and brutal thing. They seem obsessed with death, it’s the centrepoint of their religion.
They usually recruit by bullying and negging people into believing their beliefs are stupid, and framing their religion as the only logical one. In the presence of any other religion or spiritual practices, they get petulant and usually start harassing people. God forbid anyone have any other culture.
The good atheists are respectful and curious. They don’t share the belief, but they’ll participate, or politely decline. They don’t harass people or denigrate their beliefs. They probably outnumber the bad ones, but it’s the whole “vocal minority” thing that makes it seem like they’re everywhere. You don’t notice the quiet ones that are just existing happily.
How about that your entire world is constructed based on your brain and if that goes so does everything else? You can even temporarily change your world with drugs, some people are born with naturally damaged brains, schizophrenics believe people are chasing them even when they’re not for example
It’s a bit like saying if you lose a leg it doesn’t go to another dimension it just dies, same thing with your brain, there is no evidence to suggest the synapses that compose and construct your world suddenly transform into some angel dust and transport you to another dimension
Why would death be scary? You get a free preview every night 😃
By your definition dreams are not death. Unless you’re one of those people that have no dreams at all, in which case my condolences.
The rest of your argument has nothing to do with anything. Schizophrenia, drugs, brain damage, none of that matters at all. You’re extrapolating an afterlife based on unrelated data. You’re trying to prove the unprovable using “science” that doesn’t make sense and grasping for straws.
The fact is, you don’t know for sure, you just have very strong faith in your own beliefs. Which is fine, it doesn’t bother me what other people choose to believe in. But it doesn’t make your beliefs “better” or “more scientific” than anyone else’s beliefs. It’s just popular right now for some reason. There was a time when Christianity was considered scientifically obvious as well, you know.
Also why are you using multiple alt accounts to post here? Seems a bit strange.
This is literally just projection on your end. Every. Single. Religion. assumes an afterlife that they describe. The “afterlife” of Atheism you describe is just following the idea of the “null hypothesis” from the scientific method. Go look it up of Wikipedia and educate yourself.
What are you talking about? >90% of the time it’s the other way around. Most of the time, people don’t think about atheism unless they’re bashing them.
Just stop, you don’t understand what you’re talking about. The idea behind it is “we have no evidence for any of the claims so we must stick with the default hypothesis of ‘nothing’”. It’s basic scientific method.
No, they don’t. Just the assholes, which are a minority. Meanwhile every religion tries to brainwash kids while they’re young, often threatening them with eternal hellfire if they step out of line.
Well this is going in a good direction at least
So the “good” ones are the ones that only sit down and shut up? Fuck off with that. There’s a spectrum of ways to respectfully share your own opinions
You’re clearly only adding this last line in here to give yourself a façade of reason, like the religious version of “I’m not racist, but”
also i think half of your discussion with that person is kinda funny and just full of misunderstandings and stuff like
“i like dogs.” – “OH SO YOU HATE CATS UH? I GOT YOU IN 4K AND YOU’RE CANCELED”
for point 1 that’s likely true but I think they probably meant in a certain group like some specific atheist group or in their experience idk.
2 fair enough.
3 They did mention those were “the bad ones” if I remember correctly, I think you just quite said the samr thing they said.
They said politely decline too. I mean sure you could idk discuss stuff or idk. In this specific scenario you decline or accept so like it’s just about the way you decline in this specific situation.
hehe “I’m not racist butt” – “ok”
I like asdfmovie
Anyways I was saying Idk I don’t think it was in bad faith or uh, the person might’ve maybe been somewhat misinformed idk how to spell. But yea I probably should’ve read the response to your comment before writing this to gather more info lolz. I read it says you identofy with the bad type of atheist but I think it’s just more likely you like just skimmrd the comment or something silly.
Self identifying as the asshole type with your hateful response. I don’t mind people sharing their views and beliefs. I do mind when people say theirs is the only correct / logical one. I find that almost every atheist in online spaces is insufferable like this.
Of course there’s people who will read the Bible and ignore the parts they don’t agree with and then hit their kids. That’s kind of the point of this entire thread, that being a jerk isn’t actually tied to your religion at all, people will always find a way to be unkind.
Your entire comment is full of bad faith arguments and bias.
It’s clear from your words that you think all atheists are assholes, inferior, or both, and you’re not actually looking for a discussion.
In this thread you’ve done nothing but demonstrate that you’re intellectually and morally bankrupt while trying to pretend that everyone else is the problem.
Get over yourself.
I never said all, and I never said they’re inferior. I’m pointing out a real problem where a lot of atheists act with prejudice to all religion and spiritual people. They often believe they’re morally and intellectually superior, while pretending that all religion is the problem, and use bad faith arguments (using your own words, thanks for proving my points).
Some of the smartest, kindest people I know happen to be religious, but you would condemn them. There’s nothing stopping you from being someone that respects others’ beliefs, who happens to be atheist. We don’t have to be incompatible, and it confuses me why you choose to be.
If you want me to respect you, stop attacking people when they talk about their beliefs, and don’t call them stupid or illogical or unscientific. Try reflecting on why my list of grievances upsets you so much. Do they sound familiar maybe?
Would I? You have no idea. You don’t know me; you’re clearly making things up because you don’t actually want address yourown biases.
When did I do that? All I did was call you out ob your dishonest arguements regarding Atheism.
I’m arguing against you because you’re making incorrect, bad faith arguments about Atheism. If you don’t want me to argue with you, then don’t go on here acting like Tucker Carlson.
You’re the one being a villain in this thread. The adult thing to do would be for you to recognize that and shut up. But you seem incapable of considering that you can be the villain and continue talking.
Grow up.
Also here’s a list of insults you’ve leveled at me so far in this thread, since you seem to need a reminder.
list
And how is that an attack on your beliefs in the slightest? I’m attacking your arguments and behavior, not your religion.
The fact that you can’t conflate the two is very telling.
You started this comment chain with attacks, and now you play the victim as soon as you get pushback. Again, grow up.
Read my original comment again. I only highlighted things you guys do that are not nice to be around.
Many times you’ve accused me of writing things I never did. Again, I never said all, you’re not all evil, but you guys often have this persecution complex where you emotionally and violently react to all spirituality in your presence. Especially online, in forums like Lemmy and Reddit. It’s like you lose your ability to read accurately and just make up things I never wrote.
I don’t believe I deserve this kind of treatment for just pointing out what it’s like “on the other side of the fence”. You seem perfectly happy to say all religion is evil and brain washes children, then turn around and say I’m making bad faith arguments for only pointing out ugly behaviours like you’re showcasing right now.
I don’t even know what you’re expecting me to say. Do you want me to apologise and say I’m wrong for listing factual things that have actually happened to me? That are happening literally right now?
You started this comment chain going out of your way to stereotype atheism as a hostile cult with multiple examples of bad-faith arguments. Go reread your original comment yourself.
Again, go reread your original comment. This is pure hypocrisy.
Also, accusing me of violence? You’re the one making accusations here. I’ve never threatened violence against you. Seriously, you need to go through a lot of self reflection.
Ah, yes. Of course calling people out for brainwashing and abusing of power is just as bad as doing those in the first place. /s
Rethink your arguments. As I’ve said before, they aren’t good arguments. You did not enter this thread to have a respectful discussion, given your assertions are the only good Atheists are the ones that sit down and don’t talk back, while religious people get to evangelize all they want. It’s a complete double-standard.
Again, this reeks of a persecution complex. You want to know what I want? I want double-standards and bad faith arguments to end. If you stopped doing that I wouldn’t bother responding. If that’s too hard for you, the block button is right there.
You really should educate yourself a little bit more to get to the baseline level.
Oh, nevermind, you’re one of those feel-good nonsense wafflers.
Atheism is as much a belief as bald is a haircut. Technically slightly different, but makes sense to throw into the same box.
Learning that being right doesn’t make you not an arsehole is a lesson too many of us had to learn the hard way.
The satanic temple’s 7th tenet sums it up quite well.
Only theists try to bring atheism down to a belief system.
By that logic: absence of being on fire is kind of being on fire. Not drowning is a specific type of drowning. Vacuum is a particular form of atmosphere. Being an idiot is just a form of wisdom.
Atheism does require belief. Even if it’s only in the axioms of physics.
As per my analogy, bald is not a haircut, but an absence of hair. You would be hard pressed to find a bald person who complained about it being lumped in with haircuts in a form.
Recognising the limits to our own knowledge is an important part of finding the truth.
Oh and the options “on fire” and “not on fire” obviously belong in the same grouping, even if they are different things.
Interestingly, a diet poor in Omega-3 leads to inability to distinguish between belief and fact.
Please go on such a diet.
Now you’re confusing atheism - lack of belief in deities - with general knowledge of science, and then confusing general knowledge of science with belief. You are also confusing empirical evidence with faih.
Go eat fish.
I’m scientifically trained (physics specifically), I’m also an atheist myself. I believe, based on a preponderance of evidence, that no creator being exists. The exception possibly being the simulation hypothesis. However, without specific evidence of that, the chances are extremely slim so I default to the null, aka atheism.
Interestingly, science has very few “facts”. Facts are mostly a thing of mathematics , which can create rigorous proofs. There is a lot of evidence in science, along with predictions and theories, but few facts.
E.g. I don’t know, for a fact, that the sun will rise in 1 year’s time. The evidence says it’s practically a certainty, but it is not a true “fact”. It’s a prediction based on an absurdly large evidence base.
So technically, in math we refer to the core “ideas” from which all mathematics is derived as axioms, which we hold to be true until found to be false/self-contradictory/redundant. We arrive at these by describing the world, so it’s more like - “if you agree to the following statements, then you must also agree to the entirety of mathematics”.
Continuing with the occupational pedantry, I think there is some confusion lies in conflating “fact (repeatable observation)” with “fact (tested causal mechanism)”
So, kinda not really, but kinda? This is more philosophy but i think the idea is that as long as we can ensure that “there exists a statement for which there is a piece of evidence that can prove a statement false, but no evidence exists after significant testing and experiments” IRL we can use this interchangeably with “I have found a causal mechanism that causes this phenomena and can replicate the effect while controlling for confounding variables”. Statements under both are true and correct to the best of our understanding.
And the “trained physicist” confuses that with “belief”.
Literally some neurologists say he can be cured of that by eating more fish.
Did you burn down your family‘s Christmas tree too?
I used to be big on atheism but I do think it is also a belief system now. I realized that when a christian friend asked me “if we witnessed something that is indisputably an act of God, would you still believe he doesn’t exist ?”
So, anyway, I say I’m agnostic and that I really dislike organized religion now.
“If you saw a pig with wings soaring trough the skies, would you still believe pigs couldn’t fly?” Impecable logic, no notes.
Do rocket propelled pigs without wings count as flying?
deleted by creator
As if there were any other way to hold any kind of opinion about what could be beyond the bounds of reality as we know it, but to just bet on shit we don’t know the first thing about. It’s all just bets. Nobody knows and everyone is pretending that not only are they right but their rightness is of a superior quality than the claimed rightness of others. They’re still all just blind morons betting on horse races that are fixed by minds far closer to the truth and in control of it than they.
The people standing in the park trying to tease out which horse is fastest from previous observations have the advantage over anyone just going with their feelings.
They especially have the advantage over the people standing outside who are pretending there are magical centaurs in the park that grant wishes if you’re not gay.
No, the metaphor breaks down at that point because there is no peeking over the wall, there is no listening to talk from inside the stables. We’re not even at the track. It’s all shit that is beyond observation, beyond calculation, beyond any kind of verification or validation. It is a thing nobody has any good reason to act like they know anything about in a scientific capacity.
You must be one of the people outside the track afraid to look because you can’t bear the thought of not having your very own wish-granting centaur.
Superstitious nonsense.