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by wahern
3209 days ago
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a slow transition to this singularity can be observed
reviewing our history
Citation? Atheists, using the modern definition, were known in Plato's time. Many so-called atheists today _promote_ facially superstitious beliefs. For example, the anti-GMO movement.[1]
Indeed, I don't think I've personally ever met a single individual (myself included) who didn't systematically exhibit superstitious beliefs.A propensity to superstition might be an unavoidable byproduct of abstract reasoning or of complex social organization. The first question shouldn't be when do we become true atheists, but whether we want to be. The next question might be, how do we devise processes and institutions that independently address our biases and superstitions, either by mitigating or reshaping them. [1] Because lack of evidence is not evidence. Neither is appealing to uncertainty or supposedly unacceptable risks (annihilation of all humanity) without _quantifying_ those risks. In rational discourse there's no avoiding accepting the limits of existing knowledge. But people aren't very good at abstaining from drawing conclusions. |
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I think you misunderstood the context I am really emphasizing on, here. it's not about whether this world consists of "true" atheists or not rather it is about when can at least a majority of us become agnostic about God and supernatural powers. As @tomhoward mentions below superstition may be a byproduct after all ,but I agree with your take on the dire requirement needed to mitigate the rampage of unscientific belief being capitalized by demagogs knowingly or unknowingly. Mere education seems to be working but personally, I can't withstand its dawdling struggle against gov funded conventions. What pragmatic steps do you think we can take to ramp up the processes of awareness without being ousted by the society or of that sorts.