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Negative and positive atheism

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20: 632: 1902: 1878: 644: 656: 1019:"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". 814:. 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 922:
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
57:" 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. 839:
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 "
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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
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that no deity exists. Those who do not believe any deities exist, but do not assert such non-belief, are included among
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conception of God by rejecting belief in such a deity but not explicitly asserting it to be false.
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The Presumption of Atheism, and other Philosophical Essays on God, Freedom, and Immortality
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Note: Areas in the diagram are not meant to indicate relative numbers of people.
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a "strong atheist" on this scale. Within negative atheism, philosopher
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Positive and negative atheism are frequently used by the philosopher
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The terms "negative atheism" and "positive atheism" were used by
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but does not necessarily explicitly assert that there are none.
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is often considered to be a personal supreme being who is
87:" atheists who do not believe that God exists necessarily. 1541: 714:
where a person does not believe in the existence of any
1510: 1890: 115:" atheists who firmly believe that God doesn't exist. 859:, who consider all talk of gods to be meaningless. 986:Atheism, Ayn Rand, and Other Heresies - an excerpt 965:. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 2007 855:, who find the claim "God exists" uncertain, and 794:as synonyms of the less-well-known categories of 1914: 1477:Brazilian Association of Atheists and Agnostics 1526: 1108: 680: 1533: 1519: 1115: 1101: 895: 893: 687: 673: 981: 979: 835:, Dawkins describes people for whom the 18: 1007:. Temple University Press. p. 26. 955: 890: 748: 184:Atheism during the Age of Enlightenment 1915: 1070:(2006). "Worshipping an Unknown God". 1004:Atheism: A Philosophical Justification 997: 934: 928: 903:(1976). "The Presumption of Atheism". 1514: 1096: 1066: 976: 899: 963:"Definitions of the term "Atheism"" 837:probability of the existence of God 753:Because of flexibility in the term 655: 13: 938:The Cambridge Companion to Atheism 14: 1939: 1029:The Case Against God - en excerpt 1900: 1876: 1452:Freedom From Religion Foundation 1084:10.1111/j.1467-9329.2006.00339.x 654: 642: 631: 630: 222:Discrimination against atheists 1442:Atheist Alliance International 1200:Separation of church and state 1122: 1060: 1048: 1034: 1022: 991: 941:. Cambridge University Press. 851:further distinguishes between 237:Separation of church and state 1: 1637:Negative and positive atheism 1627:Implicit and explicit atheism 1437:American Humanist Association 1042:"Are You a Negative Atheist?" 884: 818:atheists are included in the 796:implicit and explicit atheism 737:in 1976 and have appeared in 506:Atheism: The Case Against God 161:Negative and positive atheism 151:Implicit and explicit atheism 1386:Letter to a Christian Nation 7: 862: 857:theological noncognitivists 10: 1944: 1648:Theological noncognitivism 1247:Discrimination/Persecution 353:Theological noncognitivism 1874: 1548: 1484: 1423: 1333: 1307: 1274: 1208: 1130: 25:Some varieties of atheism 1496:Disestablishmentarianism 1472:Recovering from Religion 1400:Why I Am Not a Christian 935:Martin, Michael (2006). 745:'s writings since 1990. 1540: 1491:Countries by irreligion 1467:Rational Response Squad 1457:Humanists International 1358:The Demon-Haunted World 1031:; George H. Smith; 2003 988:; George H. Smith; 1990 308:Inconsistent revelation 302:Incompatible properties 217:Demographics of atheism 1928:Philosophy of religion 1923:Philosophy and atheism 1802:Naturalistic pantheism 125: 1407:Why I Am Not a Muslim 1257:Negative and positive 1252:Implicit and explicit 1150:Criticism of religion 280:Fate of the unlearned 258:Arguments for atheism 212:Criticism of religion 22: 1809:Philosophical theism 1393:The System of Nature 1160:Organized secularism 749:Scope of application 606:Criticism of atheism 597:Atheism and religion 548:The System of Nature 433:Christopher Hitchens 1792:Classical pantheism 1414:Why I Am an Atheist 463:Friedrich Nietzsche 323:Omnipotence paradox 131:Part of a series on 1743:Ethical monotheism 1575:Conceptions of God 1447:Center for Inquiry 1351:Breaking the Spell 1175:Secular liberalism 761:conceptions of God 513:Breaking the Spell 448:Michael Lou Martin 274:Evil God challenge 179:History of atheism 126: 1888: 1887: 1846:Theistic finitism 1772:Nontrinitarianism 1622:Christian atheism 1508: 1507: 1432:American Atheists 1344:The Age of Reason 812:implicit atheists 710:, is any type of 697: 696: 662: 650: 648:Philosophy portal 638: 626: 613: 612: 490: 489: 483:Victor J. Stenger 374:Lists of atheists 119: 118: 1935: 1905: 1904: 1896: 1880: 1831:Skeptical theism 1671:Ceremonial deism 1661:Classical theism 1649: 1617:Agnostic atheism 1535: 1528: 1521: 1512: 1511: 1379:God Is Not Great 1372:The God Delusion 1365:The End of Faith 1294:Agnostic atheism 1262:Existence of God 1170:Secular humanism 1145:Anti-clericalism 1117: 1110: 1103: 1094: 1093: 1088: 1087: 1064: 1058: 1055:The God Delusion 1052: 1046: 1045: 1038: 1032: 1026: 1020: 1018: 995: 989: 983: 974: 973: 971: 970: 959: 953: 952: 932: 926: 925: 919: 918: 897: 832:The God Delusion 822:categorization. 765:classical theism 720:Positive atheism 700:Negative atheism 689: 682: 675: 658: 657: 653: 646: 641: 634: 633: 629: 622: 588:Secular humanism 565: 564: 541:God Is Not Great 534:The God Delusion 527:The End of Faith 473:Bertrand Russell 418:Ludwig Feuerbach 370: 369: 348:Russell's teapot 303: 296:Hitchens's razor 281: 207:Atheist feminism 128: 127: 94: 64: 34: 29: 28: 27: 16:Types of atheism 1943: 1942: 1938: 1937: 1936: 1934: 1933: 1932: 1913: 1912: 1911: 1899: 1891: 1889: 1884: 1882:Religion portal 1870: 1748:Post-monotheism 1676:Christian deism 1647: 1592:Agnostic theism 1544: 1539: 1509: 1504: 1480: 1419: 1329: 1303: 1270: 1204: 1165:Parody religion 1126: 1121: 1091: 1065: 1061: 1053: 1049: 1040: 1039: 1035: 1027: 1023: 1015: 999:Martin, Michael 996: 992: 984: 977: 968: 966: 961: 960: 956: 949: 933: 929: 916: 914: 898: 891: 887: 865: 827:Richard Dawkins 792:George H. Smith 751: 739:George H. Smith 693: 615: 614: 562: 561:Related stances 554: 553: 520:De rerum natura 500: 492: 491: 443:Lawrence Krauss 438:Baron d'Holbach 403:Richard Dawkins 388:Mikhail Bakunin 367: 359: 358: 357: 343:Problem of Hell 338:Problem of evil 328:Parody religion 301: 291:God of the gaps 279: 264:Atheist's wager 255: 247: 246: 202: 194: 193: 174: 166: 165: 146: 124: 92: 62: 32: 23: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1941: 1931: 1930: 1925: 1910: 1909: 1886: 1885: 1875: 1872: 1871: 1869: 1868: 1863: 1858: 1856:Trinitarianism 1853: 1848: 1843: 1838: 1833: 1828: 1823: 1822: 1821: 1811: 1806: 1805: 1804: 1799: 1794: 1784: 1779: 1774: 1769: 1768: 1767: 1757: 1752: 1751: 1750: 1745: 1735: 1730: 1728:Liberal theism 1725: 1720: 1715: 1710: 1705: 1700: 1695: 1693:Dipolar theism 1690: 1689: 1688: 1683: 1678: 1673: 1663: 1658: 1653: 1652: 1651: 1644: 1639: 1634: 1632:Jewish atheism 1629: 1624: 1619: 1609: 1604: 1599: 1594: 1589: 1588: 1587: 1582: 1572: 1571: 1570: 1565: 1560: 1549: 1546: 1545: 1538: 1537: 1530: 1523: 1515: 1506: 1505: 1503: 1501:Secular ethics 1498: 1493: 1488: 1486: 1485:Related topics 1482: 1481: 1479: 1474: 1469: 1464: 1459: 1454: 1449: 1444: 1439: 1434: 1429: 1427: 1421: 1420: 1418: 1417: 1410: 1403: 1396: 1389: 1382: 1375: 1368: 1361: 1354: 1347: 1339: 1337: 1331: 1330: 1328: 1327: 1322: 1317: 1311: 1309: 1305: 1304: 1302: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1280: 1278: 1272: 1271: 1269: 1264: 1259: 1254: 1249: 1244: 1239: 1234: 1229: 1224: 1219: 1214: 1212: 1206: 1205: 1203: 1202: 1197: 1195:Secularization 1192: 1187: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1157: 1152: 1147: 1142: 1136: 1134: 1128: 1127: 1120: 1119: 1112: 1105: 1097: 1090: 1089: 1068:Kenny, Anthony 1059: 1047: 1033: 1021: 1013: 990: 975: 954: 947: 927: 888: 886: 883: 882: 881: 876: 871: 864: 861: 781:omnibenevolent 750: 747: 743:Michael Martin 724:strong atheism 722:, also called 702:, also called 695: 694: 692: 691: 684: 677: 669: 666: 665: 664: 663: 651: 639: 627: 617: 616: 611: 610: 609: 608: 600: 599: 593: 592: 591: 590: 585: 580: 572: 571: 563: 560: 559: 556: 555: 552: 551: 544: 537: 530: 523: 516: 509: 501: 498: 497: 494: 493: 488: 487: 486: 485: 480: 475: 470: 465: 460: 455: 450: 445: 440: 435: 430: 425: 423:A. C. Grayling 420: 415: 410: 408:Daniel Dennett 405: 400: 395: 390: 385: 383:Julian Baggini 377: 376: 368: 365: 364: 361: 360: 356: 355: 350: 345: 340: 335: 330: 325: 320: 315: 310: 305: 298: 293: 288: 283: 276: 271: 269:Creator of God 266: 260: 256: 253: 252: 249: 248: 245: 244: 239: 234: 229: 227:Secular ethics 224: 219: 214: 209: 203: 200: 199: 196: 195: 192: 191: 186: 181: 175: 172: 171: 168: 167: 164: 163: 158: 153: 147: 144: 143: 140: 139: 133: 132: 120: 117: 116: 111:" / " 107:" / " 98: 95: 89: 88: 83:" / " 79:" / " 68: 65: 59: 58: 53:" / " 49:" / " 38: 35: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1940: 1929: 1926: 1924: 1921: 1920: 1918: 1908: 1903: 1898: 1897: 1894: 1883: 1879: 1873: 1867: 1864: 1862: 1859: 1857: 1854: 1852: 1849: 1847: 1844: 1842: 1839: 1837: 1834: 1832: 1829: 1827: 1824: 1820: 1817: 1816: 1815: 1812: 1810: 1807: 1803: 1800: 1798: 1795: 1793: 1790: 1789: 1788: 1785: 1783: 1780: 1778: 1775: 1773: 1770: 1766: 1763: 1762: 1761: 1758: 1756: 1753: 1749: 1746: 1744: 1741: 1740: 1739: 1736: 1734: 1731: 1729: 1726: 1724: 1723:Kathenotheism 1721: 1719: 1716: 1714: 1711: 1709: 1706: 1704: 1701: 1699: 1696: 1694: 1691: 1687: 1684: 1682: 1679: 1677: 1674: 1672: 1669: 1668: 1667: 1664: 1662: 1659: 1657: 1656:Binitarianism 1654: 1650: 1645: 1643: 1640: 1638: 1635: 1633: 1630: 1628: 1625: 1623: 1620: 1618: 1615: 1614: 1613: 1610: 1608: 1605: 1603: 1600: 1598: 1595: 1593: 1590: 1586: 1585:Gender of God 1583: 1581: 1578: 1577: 1576: 1573: 1569: 1566: 1564: 1561: 1559: 1556: 1555: 1554: 1551: 1550: 1547: 1543: 1536: 1531: 1529: 1524: 1522: 1517: 1516: 1513: 1502: 1499: 1497: 1494: 1492: 1489: 1487: 1483: 1478: 1475: 1473: 1470: 1468: 1465: 1463: 1460: 1458: 1455: 1453: 1450: 1448: 1445: 1443: 1440: 1438: 1435: 1433: 1430: 1428: 1426: 1425:Organizations 1422: 1416: 1415: 1411: 1409: 1408: 1404: 1402: 1401: 1397: 1395: 1394: 1390: 1388: 1387: 1383: 1381: 1380: 1376: 1374: 1373: 1369: 1367: 1366: 1362: 1360: 1359: 1355: 1353: 1352: 1348: 1346: 1345: 1341: 1340: 1338: 1336: 1332: 1326: 1323: 1321: 1318: 1316: 1313: 1312: 1310: 1306: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1290: 1287: 1285: 1282: 1281: 1279: 1277: 1273: 1268: 1265: 1263: 1260: 1258: 1255: 1253: 1250: 1248: 1245: 1243: 1240: 1238: 1235: 1233: 1230: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1211: 1207: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1186: 1183: 1181: 1180:Secular state 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1146: 1143: 1141: 1138: 1137: 1135: 1133: 1129: 1125: 1118: 1113: 1111: 1106: 1104: 1099: 1098: 1095: 1085: 1081: 1077: 1073: 1069: 1063: 1056: 1051: 1043: 1037: 1030: 1025: 1016: 1014:0-87722-943-0 1010: 1006: 1005: 1000: 994: 987: 982: 980: 964: 958: 950: 948:0-521-84270-0 944: 940: 939: 931: 924: 913:on 2005-10-12 912: 908: 907: 902: 896: 894: 889: 880: 877: 875: 872: 870: 867: 866: 860: 858: 854: 850: 849:Anthony Kenny 846: 843:atheist" but 842: 838: 834: 833: 829:avoid it. In 828: 823: 821: 820:negative/weak 817: 813: 809: 805: 801: 797: 793: 788: 786: 782: 778: 774: 770: 766: 762: 758: 757: 746: 744: 740: 736: 731: 729: 725: 721: 717: 713: 709: 705: 701: 690: 685: 683: 678: 676: 671: 670: 668: 667: 661: 652: 649: 645: 640: 637: 628: 625: 621: 620: 619: 618: 607: 604: 603: 602: 601: 598: 595: 594: 589: 586: 584: 581: 579: 576: 575: 574: 573: 570: 567: 566: 558: 557: 550: 549: 545: 543: 542: 538: 536: 535: 531: 529: 528: 524: 522: 521: 517: 515: 514: 510: 508: 507: 503: 502: 496: 495: 484: 481: 479: 476: 474: 471: 469: 468:Michel Onfray 466: 464: 461: 459: 456: 454: 451: 449: 446: 444: 441: 439: 436: 434: 431: 429: 426: 424: 421: 419: 416: 414: 413:Denis Diderot 411: 409: 406: 404: 401: 399: 396: 394: 391: 389: 386: 384: 381: 380: 379: 378: 375: 372: 371: 363: 362: 354: 351: 349: 346: 344: 341: 339: 336: 334: 331: 329: 326: 324: 321: 319: 318:Occam's razor 316: 314: 311: 309: 306: 304: 299: 297: 294: 292: 289: 287: 284: 282: 277: 275: 272: 270: 267: 265: 262: 261: 259: 251: 250: 243: 242:State atheism 240: 238: 235: 233: 230: 228: 225: 223: 220: 218: 215: 213: 210: 208: 205: 204: 198: 197: 190: 187: 185: 182: 180: 177: 176: 170: 169: 162: 159: 157: 154: 152: 149: 148: 142: 141: 138: 135: 134: 130: 129: 123: 114: 110: 106: 102: 99: 96: 91: 90: 86: 82: 78: 74: 73: 69: 66: 61: 60: 56: 52: 48: 44: 43: 39: 36: 31: 30: 26: 21: 1866:Unitarianism 1836:Spiritualism 1636: 1462:Humanists UK 1412: 1405: 1398: 1391: 1384: 1377: 1370: 1363: 1356: 1349: 1342: 1256: 1217:Demographics 1140:Antireligion 1075: 1071: 1062: 1050: 1036: 1024: 1003: 993: 967:. 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Retrieved 911:the original 905: 901:Flew, Antony 844: 830: 824: 819: 815: 811: 807: 803: 799: 789: 755: 752: 732: 728:hard atheism 727: 723: 719: 708:soft atheism 707: 704:weak atheism 703: 699: 698: 546: 539: 532: 525: 518: 511: 504: 478:Peter Singer 458:Jean Meslier 398:Albert Camus 160: 121: 112: 108: 104: 100: 84: 80: 76: 70: 54: 50: 46: 40: 24: 1851:Transtheism 1814:Physitheism 1782:Panentheism 1777:Open theism 1765:Post-theism 1642:New Atheism 1276:Agnosticism 1155:Freethought 1057:, pp. 50–51 874:Ignosticism 777:omnipresent 735:Antony Flew 660:WikiProject 583:Freethought 578:Agnosticism 393:Mario Bunge 333:Poor design 189:New Atheism 1917:Categories 1826:Polytheism 1819:Euhemerism 1797:Hylotheism 1738:Monotheism 1713:Henotheism 1708:Misotheism 1602:Antitheism 1267:Antitheism 1190:Secularity 1185:Secularism 1132:Irreligion 1124:Irreligion 1078:(4): 442. 969:2010-06-01 917:2011-12-10 885:References 869:Antitheism 773:omniscient 769:omnipotent 569:Irreligion 428:Sam Harris 232:Secularism 156:Naturalism 1861:Tritheism 1787:Pantheism 1760:Nontheism 1755:Mysticism 1733:Monolatry 1703:Egotheism 1698:Dystheism 1686:Polydeism 1607:Apatheism 1580:Existence 1325:Humanists 1320:Agnostics 1299:Apatheism 1242:Criticism 879:Nontheism 853:agnostics 453:Karl Marx 313:Nonbelief 286:Free will 254:Arguments 1907:Religion 1681:Pandeism 1558:Divinity 1315:Atheists 1222:Religion 1001:(1990). 863:See also 841:de facto 816:implicit 804:Negative 800:Positive 636:Category 145:Concepts 105:positive 101:Explicit 97:on right 77:negative 72:Explicit 67:on right 47:negative 42:Implicit 1718:Ietsism 1612:Atheism 1597:Animism 1563:Goddess 1227:History 1210:Atheism 923:latter. 785:deistic 741:'s and 716:deities 712:atheism 624:Outline 201:Society 173:History 137:Atheism 37:on left 1893:Portal 1841:Theism 1308:People 1284:Strong 1011:  945:  779:, and 366:People 109:strong 93:  63:  33:  1666:Deism 1553:Deity 1335:Books 1232:State 1072:Ratio 499:Books 1568:List 1289:Weak 1009:ISBN 943:ISBN 808:true 726:and 706:and 113:hard 85:soft 81:weak 55:soft 51:weak 1542:God 1237:New 1080:doi 845:not 756:god 1919:: 1076:19 1074:. 978:^ 920:. 892:^ 775:, 771:, 1895:: 1534:e 1527:t 1520:v 1116:e 1109:t 1102:v 1086:. 1082:: 1044:. 1017:. 972:. 951:. 688:e 681:t 674:v 103:" 75:" 45:"

Index


Implicit
Explicit
Atheism
Implicit and explicit atheism
Naturalism
Negative and positive atheism
History of atheism
Atheism during the Age of Enlightenment
New Atheism
Atheist feminism
Criticism of religion
Demographics of atheism
Discrimination against atheists
Secular ethics
Secularism
Separation of church and state
State atheism
Arguments for atheism
Atheist's wager
Creator of God
Evil God challenge
Fate of the unlearned
Free will
God of the gaps
Hitchens's razor
Incompatible properties
Inconsistent revelation
Nonbelief
Occam's razor

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