Negative and positive atheism: Difference between revisions
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'''Negative atheism''', also called '''weak atheism''' and '''soft atheism''', is any type of atheism where a person does not believe in the existence of any deities but does not necessarily explicitly assert that there are none. '''Positive atheism''', also called '''strong atheism''' and '''hard atheism''', is the form of |
'''Negative atheism''', also called '''weak atheism''' and '''soft atheism''', is any type of [[atheism]] where a person does not believe in the existence of any [[deities]] but does not necessarily explicitly assert that there are none. '''Positive atheism''', also called '''strong atheism''' and '''hard atheism''', is the form of atheism that additionally asserts that no deities exist.<!-- |
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--><ref name="Flew1976">{{cite book |url=http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/flew01.htm |last=Flew |first=Antony |author-link=Antony Flew |title=The Presumption of Atheism, and other Philosophical Essays on God, Freedom, and Immortality |chapter=The Presumption of Atheism |location=New York |publisher=Barnes and Noble |year=1976 |pages=14ff |access-date=2011-12-10 |quote=In this interpretation an atheist becomes: not someone who positively asserts the non-existence of God; but someone who is simply not a theist. Let us, for future ready reference, introduce the labels 'positive atheist' for the former and 'negative atheist' for the latter. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051012172554/http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/flew01.htm |archive-date=2005-10-12}}</ref><!-- |
--><ref name="Flew1976">{{cite book |url=http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/flew01.htm |last=Flew |first=Antony |author-link=Antony Flew |title=The Presumption of Atheism, and other Philosophical Essays on God, Freedom, and Immortality |chapter=The Presumption of Atheism |location=New York |publisher=Barnes and Noble |year=1976 |pages=14ff |access-date=2011-12-10 |quote=In this interpretation an atheist becomes: not someone who positively asserts the non-existence of God; but someone who is simply not a theist. Let us, for future ready reference, introduce the labels 'positive atheist' for the former and 'negative atheist' for the latter. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051012172554/http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/flew01.htm |archive-date=2005-10-12}}</ref><!-- |
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--><ref name="mmartin">{{cite book |last=Martin |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books? |
--><ref name="mmartin">{{cite book |last=Martin |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISBN0521842700 |title=The Cambridge Companion to Atheism |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-521-84270-0}}</ref><ref name="synonyms">{{cite web |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/atheist4.htm |title=Definitions of the term "Atheism" |publisher=Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance |year=2007 |access-date=2010-06-01}}</ref> |
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The terms "negative atheism" and "positive atheism" were used by [[Antony Flew]] in 1976<ref name="Flew1976"/> and have appeared in [[George H. Smith]]'s<ref name="Smith1">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080713012926/http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/smithdef.htm Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies - an excerpt]; George H. Smith; 1990</ref> and [[Michael Martin (philosopher)|Michael Martin]]'s writings since 1990.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MNZqCoor4eoC&pg=PA26 |
The terms "negative atheism" and "positive atheism" were used by [[Antony Flew]] in 1976<ref name="Flew1976"/> and have appeared in [[George H. Smith]]'s<ref name="Smith1">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080713012926/http://www.positiveatheism.org/writ/smithdef.htm Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies - an excerpt]; George H. Smith; 1990</ref> and [[Michael Martin (philosopher)|Michael Martin]]'s writings since 1990.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MNZqCoor4eoC&pg=PA26 |title=Atheism: A Philosophical Justification |year=1990|last=Martin |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Martin (philosopher) |publisher=Temple University Press |page=26 |isbn=0-87722-943-0}} |
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"negative atheism, the position of not believing a theistic God exists" / "positive atheism: the position of disbelieving a theistic God exists"; p. 464: "Clearly, positive atheism is a special case of negative atheism: Someone who is a positive atheist is by necessity a negative atheist, but not conversely".</ref> |
"negative atheism, the position of not believing a theistic God exists" / "positive atheism: the position of disbelieving a theistic God exists"; p. 464: "Clearly, positive atheism is a special case of negative atheism: Someone who is a positive atheist is by necessity a negative atheist, but not conversely".</ref> |
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Under the negative atheism classification, agnostics are atheists. The validity of this categorization is disputed, however, and a few prominent atheists such as [[Richard Dawkins]] avoid it. In ''[[The God Delusion]]'', Dawkins describes people for whom the [[Spectrum of theistic probability|probability of the existence of God]] is between "very high" and "very low" as "agnostic" and reserves the term "strong atheist" for those who claim to know there is no God. He categorizes himself as a "[[de facto]] atheist" but ''not'' a "strong atheist" on this scale.<ref>[[The God Delusion]], pp. 50–51</ref> Within negative atheism, philosopher [[Anthony Kenny]] further distinguishes between [[Agnosticism|agnostics]], who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and [[Theological noncognitivism|theological noncognitivists]], who consider all talk of gods to be meaningless.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Anthony |last=Kenny |author-link=Anthony Kenny |year=2006 |title=Worshipping an Unknown God |journal=Ratio |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=442 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-9329.2006.00339.x }}</ref> |
Under the negative atheism classification, agnostics are atheists. The validity of this categorization is disputed, however, and a few prominent atheists such as [[Richard Dawkins]] avoid it. In ''[[The God Delusion]]'', Dawkins describes people for whom the [[Spectrum of theistic probability|probability of the existence of God]] is between "very high" and "very low" as "agnostic" and reserves the term "strong atheist" for those who claim to know there is no God. He categorizes himself as a "[[de facto]] atheist" but ''not'' a "strong atheist" on this scale.<ref>[[The God Delusion]], pp. 50–51</ref> Within negative atheism, philosopher [[Anthony Kenny]] further distinguishes between [[Agnosticism|agnostics]], who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and [[Theological noncognitivism|theological noncognitivists]], who consider all talk of gods to be meaningless.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Anthony |last=Kenny |author-link=Anthony Kenny |year=2006 |title=Worshipping an Unknown God |journal=Ratio |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=442 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-9329.2006.00339.x }}</ref> |
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==Alternative meanings== |
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[[Jacques Maritain]] used the negative/positive phrases as early as 1949, but with a different meaning and in the context of a strictly [[Catholic]] [[apologist]].<ref> |
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{{cite journal |url=http://www.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/jm3303.htm |title=On the Meaning of Contemporary Atheism |journal=The Review of Politics |first=Jacques |last=Maritain |author-link=Jacques Maritain |date=July 1949 |volume=11 |issue=3 |pages=267–280 |doi=10.1017/S0034670500044168 |quote=By positive atheism I mean an active struggle against everything that reminds us of God – that is to say, anti-theism rather than atheism – and at the same time a desperate, I would say heroic, effort to recast and reconstruct the whole human universe of thought and the whole human scale of values according to that state of war against God. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051113062053/http://www.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/jm3303.htm |archive-date=2005-11-13}} |
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</ref> |
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[[Goparaju Ramachandra Rao]] (1902–1975), better known by his [[nickname]] Gora, was an [[India]]n social reformer, anti-caste activist, and atheist. He proposed a philosophy he called "positive atheism", which treated atheism as a way of life in his 1972 book, ''Positive Atheism''.<ref name="gorapositive">{{cite book|author=Robyn E. Lebron|title=Searching for Spiritual Unity...Can There Be Common Ground?|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KILFE33zGngC&pg=PA532|access-date=2013-09-08|date=January 2012|publisher=CrossBooks|isbn=978-1-4627-1262-5|page=532}}</ref> |
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Similarly, the Atheist Community of Austin (ACA) uses the term ''positive atheism'' in the sense of putting a positive face to atheism and dispelling the false and negative image of atheism portrayed by religious people, especially in places of worship. ''Positive Atheism Magazine'' "sees atheism as being a positive, healthy outlook -- much healthier than any theistic approach to life."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20000823031822/http://www.positiveatheism.org/mission.htm What is Positive Atheism?]; Positive Atheism Magazine; November, 1998</ref> |
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Agnostics are not always merely implicit atheists. For instance, [[Philip Pullman]], the English author of the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' fantasy trilogy, which has atheism as a major theme, is an explicit atheist,<ref name=PullmanAtheist01>"As an atheist I'm rather on difficult ground here, but presumably this is what a Christian believes." [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2004/03/17/bodark17.xml The Dark Materials debate: life, God, the universe...] (interview of Pullman by Rowan Williams), Telegraph.co.uk, March 17, 2004 (Accessed November 12, 2007).</ref><ref name=PullmanAtheist02>{{cite web|url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/12/26/051226fa_fact|title='Far From Narnia'|access-date=31 October 2007|author=Miller, Laura|format=Life and Letters article|publisher=The New Yorker|quote=he is one of England’s most outspoken atheists. ... He added, “Although I call myself an atheist, I am a Church of England atheist, and a 1662 Book of Common Prayer atheist, because that’s the tradition I was brought up in and I cannot escape those early influences.”}}</ref> but also describes himself as technically an [[agnostic]].<ref name=PullmanAgnostic01>{{cite web |url=http://www.pluggedin.com/upfront/2007/sympathyforthedevil.aspx |title=Sympathy for the Devil by Adam R. Holz |access-date=14 September 2013 |publisher=Plugged In Online|quote=I suppose technically, you'd have to put me down as an agnostic.}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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{{Irreligion}} |
{{Irreligion}} |
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{{Belief systems}} |
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{{Theism}} |
{{Theism}} |
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[[Category:Philosophy and atheism]] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Weak And Strong Atheism}} |
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[[Category:Atheism]] |
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[[Category:Philosophy of religion]] |
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Latest revision as of 14:42, 28 October 2024
| on left | Implicit "negative" / "weak" / "soft" atheists who lack a belief in God without explicitly denying the concept, includes very young children, those who are unacquainted with the concept or are truly undecided. | |
| on right | Explicit "negative" / "weak" / "soft" atheists who do not believe that God exists necessarily. | |
| on right | Explicit "positive" / "strong" / "hard" atheists who firmly believe that God doesn't exist. |
Note: Areas in the diagram are not meant to indicate relative numbers of people.
| Part of a series on |
| Atheism |
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Negative atheism, also called weak atheism and soft atheism, is any type of atheism where a person does not believe in the existence of any deities but does not necessarily explicitly assert that there are none. Positive atheism, also called strong atheism and hard atheism, is the form of atheism that additionally asserts that no deities exist.[1][2][3]
The terms "negative atheism" and "positive atheism" were used by Antony Flew in 1976[1] and have appeared in George H. Smith's[4] and Michael Martin's writings since 1990.[5]
Scope of application
[edit]Because of flexibility in the term god, it is possible that a person could be a positive/strong atheist in terms of certain conceptions of God, while remaining a negative/weak atheist in terms of others. For example, the God of classical theism is often considered to be a personal supreme being who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnibenevolent, caring about humans and human affairs. One might be a positive atheist for such a deity, while being a negative atheist with respect to a deistic conception of God by rejecting belief in such a deity but not explicitly asserting it to be false.
Positive and negative atheism are frequently used by the philosopher George H. Smith as synonyms of the less-well-known categories of implicit and explicit atheism, also relating to whether an individual holds a specific view that gods do not exist.[4] "Positive" atheists explicitly assert that it is false that any deities exist. "Negative" atheists assert they do not believe any deities exist, but do not necessarily explicitly assert it is true that no deity exists. Those who do not believe any deities exist, but do not assert such non-belief, are included among implicit atheists. Among "implicit" atheists are thus included the following: children and adults who have never heard of deities; people who have heard of deities but have never given the idea any considerable thought; and those agnostics who suspend belief about deities, but do not reject such belief. All implicit atheists are included in the negative/weak categorization.[6][7]
Under the negative atheism classification, agnostics are atheists. The validity of this categorization is disputed, however, and a few prominent atheists such as Richard Dawkins avoid it. In The God Delusion, Dawkins describes people for whom the probability of the existence of God is between "very high" and "very low" as "agnostic" and reserves the term "strong atheist" for those who claim to know there is no God. He categorizes himself as a "de facto atheist" but not a "strong atheist" on this scale.[8] Within negative atheism, philosopher Anthony Kenny further distinguishes between agnostics, who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and theological noncognitivists, who consider all talk of gods to be meaningless.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Flew, Antony (1976). "The Presumption of Atheism". The Presumption of Atheism, and other Philosophical Essays on God, Freedom, and Immortality. New York: Barnes and Noble. pp. 14ff. Archived from the original on 2005-10-12. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
In this interpretation an atheist becomes: not someone who positively asserts the non-existence of God; but someone who is simply not a theist. Let us, for future ready reference, introduce the labels 'positive atheist' for the former and 'negative atheist' for the latter.
- ^ Martin, Michael (2006). The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-84270-0.
- ^ "Definitions of the term "Atheism"". Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 2007. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ a b Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies - an excerpt; George H. Smith; 1990
- ^ Martin, Michael (1990). Atheism: A Philosophical Justification. Temple University Press. p. 26. ISBN 0-87722-943-0. "negative atheism, the position of not believing a theistic God exists" / "positive atheism: the position of disbelieving a theistic God exists"; p. 464: "Clearly, positive atheism is a special case of negative atheism: Someone who is a positive atheist is by necessity a negative atheist, but not conversely".
- ^ The Case Against God - en excerpt; George H. Smith; 2003
- ^ "Are You a Negative Atheist?".
- ^ The God Delusion, pp. 50–51
- ^ Kenny, Anthony (2006). "Worshipping an Unknown God". Ratio. 19 (4): 442. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9329.2006.00339.x.
