arguments for atheism

The Evidential Argument from the History of Science (AHS)

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Informal Statement of the Argument If there is a single theme unifying the history of science, it is that naturalistic explanations work. The history of science contains numerous examples of naturalistic explanations replacing supernatural ones and no examples of supernatural explanations replacing naturalistic ones. Indeed, naturalistic explanations have been so successful that even most scientific … The Evidential Argument from the History of Science (AHS)

The Evidential Argument from Physical Minds (APM)

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Last edited: 13-Jun-12 8:20PM PDT Informal Statement of the Argument  Scientific evidence shows that human consciousness and personality are highly dependent upon the brain. In this context, nothing mental happens without something physical happening. That strongly implies that the mind cannot exist independently of physical arrangements of matter. In other words, we do not have … The Evidential Argument from Physical Minds (APM)

Argument from Self-Centeredness and Limited Altruism of Human Beings

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This post was inspired by the writings of Paul Draper. If you like the argument, the credit should go to Draper. Any problems with the formulation below, however, are probably due to an error on my part. Informal Statement of the Argument Humans are effectively self-centered; our tendency to behave in self-centered ways is usually … Argument from Self-Centeredness and Limited Altruism of Human Beings

The Argument from the Flourishing and Languishing of Sentient Beings (AFL)

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This post was inspired by the writings of Paul Draper. If you like the argument, the credit should go to Draper. Any problems with the formulation below, however, are probably due to an error on my part. Informal Statement of the Argument Only a fraction of living things, including the majority of sentient beings, thrive. … The Argument from the Flourishing and Languishing of Sentient Beings (AFL)

20+ Questions for Theists

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(This post was last edited on 21-Jun-12, by reorganizing the list into a more logical sequence. I apologize in advance for the inconvenience this may cause to people who have posted comments or their own articles discussing these.) As a follow-up to my last post, I compiled a list of my own questions for theists. … 20+ Questions for Theists

Platonism vs. Divine Aseity: A Deductive Argument for the Non-Existence of God

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The purpose of this post is to sketch an argument for the nonexistence of God based upon the logical incompatibility of divine aseity and the existence of God. In Martin’s and Monnier’s taxonomy of arguments for atheism (see The Impossibility of God, Buffalo: Prometheus, 2003), this argument would be classified as a “deductive disproof of … Platonism vs. Divine Aseity: A Deductive Argument for the Non-Existence of God

Horia George Plugaru’s Argument Against the Abundance Theory of Creation

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The Internet Infidels just published a new essay by Horia George Plugaru in the Secular Web’s Kiosk, “Why the Abundance Theory of Creation Fails.” From the opening paragraph: How can God be both a perfect being and the creator of the universe? Doesn’t the fact that he created the world imply that he had a … Horia George Plugaru’s Argument Against the Abundance Theory of Creation

Atheistic Teleological Arguments, Part 6: Richard Dawkins’s Chapter Summarized

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In chapter 4 of his book The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins advances an argument for atheism he calls the “Ultimate Boeing 747 Gambit,” in reference to Fred Hoyle’s famous comment about a Boeing 747 arising by chance in a junkyard.[26] Just as Hoyle’s argument appeals to the (alleged) improbability of evolution, Dawkins’s argument appeals to … Atheistic Teleological Arguments, Part 6: Richard Dawkins’s Chapter Summarized