E,
I consider myself a philosopher. Are you a philosopher or merely a naysayer?
Main Entry: phi·los·o·phy
Pronunciation: f&-'lä-s(&-)fE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -phies
Etymology: Middle English philosophie, from Old French, from Latin philosophia, from Greek, from philosophos philosopher
Date: 14th century
1 a (1) : all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts (2) : the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology <a doctor of
philosophy> (3) : the 4-year college course of a major seminary b (1) archaic : PHYSICAL SCIENCE (2) : ETHICS c : a discipline comprising as its core logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology
2 a : pursuit of wisdom b : a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means c : an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs
3 a : a system of philosophical concepts b : a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought <the philosophy of war> <philosophy of science>
4 a : the most general beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group b : calmness of temper and judgment befitting a philosopher
Atheism concerns itself, almost exclusively, with what isn't--namely, God. It is unique among the disciplines of logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology in this negative character.
Imagine the Aeuclidians, the Aimpressionists . . .of course there are competing notions in each disciplines, but each competing "school" has an affirmative thesis which describes their beliefs and positively counters the constructs of the competing school. For example, someone who disagreed with the impressionist's approach to art might be a realist or an abstractionist, and if one queried them they could represent their own aesthetic construct in a positive fashion. Atheism attempts no such positive construct. It merely refutes another school, and as I have said before, refutation of another philosophy does not constitute an original, intelligent philosophy.
Beyond your avowed atheism, what is your philosophy regarding the nature of existence? Do you have a philosophy?
Rick
p.s. As a result of our discussions, I am now reading "Atheism: A Philosophical Justification" by Michael Martin. 500 pages of what is reputedly the most comprehensive review of atheist thought available. If you have interest in a quid pro quo, I have some recommendations which might enlighten you to the roots of my philosophical beliefs. |
