Up@dawn 2.0

Monday, November 26, 2012

Sec 19 Group 4 AC Grayling on Atheism

Playing catch up from last week.

Grayling clears up a common misconception when it comes to the term atheism. Often the terms atheism and agnostic are often used interchangeably, without recognizing that they apply to two totally different belief system. Grayling describes an atheist as someone who completely rejects the idea of a "supernatural agency." While an agnostic is someone who simply does not know for sure, and decides to take a a more passive view, while not completely rejecting the idea of faith, but also doesn't support the idea either. Grayling understands the importance of religion and church for people, but also finds it as a "oppressive burden." Rather than attacking religion from a an offensive argument, takes more of a defensive stance when talking about his views on atheism. Nigel points out that their has been a lot of books and philosophers that are taking an atheistic prospective, and Grayling responds by claiming that the recent religious resurgence has caused the rise in atheists. He claims that as with anything, the more public and popular something becomes, the more skeptics will rise. All in all, Grayling presents a respectable argument on a wildly controversial topic.


Factual Question:
True/False Grayling supports the idea of Intelligent Design.
-False.

Discussion Question:
What is Graylings opinion on people who do believe in a God?










3 comments:

  1. Factual: Does grayling view himself as an agnostic or an atheist?

    Discussion: does the rise in Christian beliefs lead to the rise in more atheist beliefs?

    ReplyDelete
  2. What the difference between these two beliefs. Grayling explains this and more as he goes through details behind the atheist beliefs. We discussed the reasons behind believing God and the evidence that there were. You can't fully prove that there isn't a God and you can't fully prove that there is a God. so you have to take a step of faith in either direction, why not take a step in the direction that there gives answers to why we have such a messed up world and to where true happiness lies. Here's a scenario I brought up. If you believe in God and it turns out you were believing in a lie and "wasted" your life, then when you die nothing happens and you lived a good life believing in just a figment of your imagination and in something that was made up. But, if you say there's no God and don't believe in one, and there is, then the implications are very serious. An entire life truly wasted which has now led to your eternal damnation and separation from the God who created you. God doesn't send people to Hell, we do it to ourselves. If God didn't give us choice, we would be robots or puppets completely controlled by him and incapable of making decisions that were based on our opinions because God would control our wills. fortunately, it doesn't work like that and he gives a choice to surrender everything and follow him, or keep everything and turn away from him. His own creation turning away from their creator, and all we had to do was turn back and jump into his welcoming arms.

    Factual Question: does Grayling believe atheism is a well-grounded and ultimately life-affirming position to hold?
    yes

    Discussion Question: Which one makes more since and has the most reason behind it?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Discussion Question: How should one distinguish between an atheist and an agnostic?

    Factual Question: What does Grayling compare the Intelligent Design movement to? a fig leaf

    ReplyDelete

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