Posting this because I think it’s an interesting examination of the overlap (or lack thereof) between atheists and general skeptics. It’s worth remembering that the term ‘atheism’ only means a rejection of theistic beliefs; non-theistic beliefs that are nonetheless irrational and unsupported by evidence are not relevant to the term. And yet one can easily see why there is an overlap between these two communities and why many atheists scoff at other atheists who profess belief in things like astrology, ghosts, reincarnation, etc.

I’m definitely one of those who doesn’t believe in anything supernatural, but I’ve certainly met atheists who do. It’s worth remembering the two groups aren’t synonymous.

  • @afraid_of_zombies
    link
    English
    11 year ago

    Well guess it depends on what you mean by free will. If you mean it as agency then yes it clearly exists, I have more agency than a slave. If you mean in that a human behavior is not fully predictable then yes as of right now you still have it. If you mean in the supernatural sense then well there really is no evidence to support that.

    • @FringeTheory999
      link
      English
      0
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      There’s no reason to believe that you have agency. The slaves beliefs, attitudes and decisions are dictated by their circumstances, and those circumstances determine the slaves actions. You have different circumstances, but your decisions are no less governed by them. There is no “natural” fee will vs. “Supernatural” freewill. The idea that you have freewill, at all, is supernatural and faith based, yet many atheists do seem to believe in it anyway. Which was the topic of OPs link.

        • @FringeTheory999
          link
          English
          11 year ago

          No. I’m saying that no one has any agency. Zero agency for anyone. Everything is the direct result of the moment that came before it. This includes your reaction to events, your thoughts, your feelings, your unseemly implication, and the actions you take in your life. If you would like to cause me to modify my view then you’d need to come up with a functional theory that explains how human beings are the exception in an otherwise deterministic universe and free will is possible. If I lost the comforting illusion of agency it would probably suck. Not having agency doesn’t mean we don’t suffer. That is a false dichotomy. Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, be they good or bad, our reaction to those circumstances would be deterministic.

          • @afraid_of_zombies
            link
            English
            11 year ago

            Fine you are redefining agency to suit your argument.

            Ok what is the difference between a sex slave and me? What word do you want to redefine for that concept?

            • fkn
              link
              English
              1
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              They are describing a wholely deterministic universe (one we don’t currently know the math for). If the universe is 100% deterministic, freewill is an illusion and the argument is moot. If it is not deterministic, the freewill probably exists and this argument is stupid.

              Either free will exists it you are deterministically defined to believe it does. It’s a stupid argument, but still valid.

              • @afraid_of_zombies
                link
                English
                11 year ago

                Ok what is the difference between a sex slave and me? What word do you want to redefine for that concept?

                • fkn
                  link
                  English
                  11 year ago

                  Wrong point I think. I’m explaining his argument and why his argument is stupid.