Pascal's Cowards

[dave_littler]

Most of you will be aware of Pascal's Wager, and indeed, of those of you who aren't aware of it by name, most of you will likely have heard it without knowing what it's called

Comments

[dave_littler]

Well, if you didn't like your religion best, I would wonder what in the world was going on with you

[dave_littler]

Well, let me ask you a simple, yes-or-no question: Cam you truthfully make the statement "I sincerely believe that there actually is at least one god which genuinely exists?"

[dave_littler]

Would it then be correct to say that you cannot say with certainty that there is a god out there?

[dave_littler]

Fair enough. And I wasn't trying to box you in or back you into a corner or anything. I'm just saying that by some definitions, what you just described IS atheism. A very "weak" (not used in the pejorative sense here) form of atheism, but atheism nonetheless. Basically anyone who doesn't actively and specifically believes in a specific god is an atheist.

The term has picked up a lot of baggage over the years, and more so it seems within the last decade or so than ever before, but in essence, it's neither as strident nor as arrogant as a lot of people want to believe it is. GRANTED, being strident or arrogant about it is quite possible! It's just not a necessary requisite!

You can read more on this topic here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

[dave_littler]

The two terms are often confused, actually, even by people who self-identify as one or the other. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Indeed, the position Pipkin describes here could fairly be referred to as "agnostic atheism."

[dave_littler]

Then you should go down to the clock store and buy some additional time.

AND THEN SQUANDER ALL OF IT PLAYING ROBOT UNICORN ATTACK.