Atheists - what drives you?

How do you reconcile your continued existence with the seemingly pointless cycle of life and death on earth?

How do you cope with your insignificance in comparison with the universe (and whatever lies beyond that)?

How do you view death? Are you afraid of it? Ambivalent?

Do you simply ignore those aspects and bury yourself in the pleasures of the "real world"? i.e. a family, a job, friends, hobbies, etc.

It doesn't seem pointless to me. It's simply a fact of life, to be doted on or not as each individual sees fit. I acknowledge it, and move on. It's a lot like food: I don't worry myself to death about the ramifications of eating something even though I know I'm just going to excrete it later. I still get some use out of the food while I'm eating it. Same goes for life.

None of those things is something I hide behind or bury myself beneath. They are at the forefront of my life, things I actively engage in at every moment.

It's all irrelevant. My concern is whether or not a God exists, and I believe the evidence does not support the contention that one does. I am hardly going to believe something false just because it paints a rosier picture of things.

For example, I have come to agree with the idea that all "existence" is about "relationship". There are no "things" without "thingers" whether the things are "gods" or "trees". The difference is the nature of the relationship between a thing and its observer (thinger). "Atheists" have a negative relationship with "gods". The existence the category "atheist" is predicated on the category "gods". They are co-existent !.... but not in the same relationship as "believers" and "gods".

However to get back to "life's path" etc....it is possible to be an atheist and allow the possibility of "spirituality". In fact, to the extent that any philosophical position seeks to transcend or investigate the status of "self" it leans towards "the spiritual" ....i.e. some concept of a system beyond the motives of a single individual. (See for example references to David Bohm the physicist), without having to evoke "deities".

What is your motivation in life?

How do you reconcile your continued existence with the seemingly pointless cycle of life and death on earth?

How do you cope with your insignificance in comparison with the universe (and whatever lies beyond that)?

Do you simply ignore those aspects and bury yourself in the pleasures of the "real world"? i.e. a family, a job, friends, hobbies, etc.

How do you view death? Are you afraid of it? Ambivalent?

If life is pointless, then would it not be better to live that life in ignorant bliss?

If like is pointless, then what point does it serve to live a life in which you know the truth and live with it every day? What purpose does that serve, if life itself has no purpose?

I don't think philosophers are inclined to dogma.

But what is the purpose of your existence? Do you continue to live simply because it's easier than dying? Or is there something else that makes you want to continue to live?

But why are they at the forefront of your life?

Monolith,

First point...no. "atheists" and "gods" specifically co-exist because of the "-theism" link.

Second point..."faith" is about reliance on "a belief". I don't think philosophers are inclined to dogma. As for spirituality" it tends to be "ineffable" or "undefineable" so to that extent we could hardly rely on it. Better perhaps to think of Wittgestein's idea that philosophy is "therapy" which dissipates "pseudo-problems" like "the meaning of life".

To do well and be happy. To ensure that in the process, I do not harm other people's attempts to do well and be happy.

Just because a god does not exist, does not mean the cycle of life and death is pointless. Even if the god exists, that does necessarily mean that life on earth has any point.

The concept of a god does not help me cope with my insignificance in comparison with the universe, as even if he/she/it existed, I would still be insignificant in comparison with the universe. If I really were made by a god/goddess/gods/goddesses it wouldn't make much of a difference.

I ignore them most of the time, but other times, I think about it.

I can be quite afraid of it, just as any Christian would. The thought of not existing doesn't quite appeal to me, but then I remember that if I don't exist, I won't be there to experience not existing, so there's no point in worrying about it.

Are you trying to convert atheists, Monolith?

Brandon9000 wrote:

It's all irrelevant. My concern is whether or not a God exists, and I believe the evidence does not support the contention that one does. I am hardly going to believe something false just because it paints a rosier picture of things.

Why?

If life is pointless, then would it not be better to live that life in ignorant bliss?

If like is pointless, then what point does it serve to live a life in which you know the truth and live with it every day? What purpose does that serve, if life itself has no purpose?

Ah, so my hunch was right.

This thread is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at attacking the atheist, possibly even a futile attempt at conversion though I doubt it could possibly be the latter.

What is your motivation in life? How do you reconcile your continued existence with the seemingly pointless cycle of life and death on earth? How do you cope with your insignificance in comparison with the universe (and whatever lies beyond that)? Do you simply ignore those aspects and bury yourself in the pleasures of the "real world"? i.e. a family, a job, friends, hobbies, etc.

How do you view death? Are you afraid of it? Ambivalent?