The claim that atheists cannot live a meaningful life
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:27 pm
It seems the possibilities regarding human existence and the universe are as follows:
(1) There is no creator, deity or higher power, and humans are just "DNA machines."
(2) There is a creator, deity or higher power, and humans were created, presumably with some kind of soul and afterlife.(otherwise we have a creator who made mere "DNA machines" which of course is logically possible but I don't think anyone wants to defend that possibility)
(2a) A subset (2), but involving specific claims (i.e. a religious tradition) about the nature of this deity and its relationship to humans. Obviously there are many variations of this, most of which are contradictory if taken literally at all. Most believers are not simply deists who believe in (2), and fall into this category.
Claim (3): Since atheists do not believe in (2), they cannot live meaningful lives.
But since believers believe in (2), if they are correct, humans are not just "DNA machines." They are something more.
So is it the false belief in (1) that prevents living a meaningful life, even if (2) is true?
If that is the case, then what about the false beliefs in (2a)? They are also misinformed about the nature of reality and the true deity if (2) is true. Is the mere belief in any non-existent deity enough to give their lives meaning? That would be a strange way of justifying meaning. Are atheists then not capable of "tricking" themselves into a meaningful life? It could also be based on a false belief if (2a) is enough. It would be incumbent on believers to explain this distinction.
So if believers believe (2), they cannot make the claim (3). Unless they want to make the claim for nearly all believers as well.
Of course, this does not address the justification of meaning in life if (1) is true, that is a separate argument.
(1) There is no creator, deity or higher power, and humans are just "DNA machines."
(2) There is a creator, deity or higher power, and humans were created, presumably with some kind of soul and afterlife.(otherwise we have a creator who made mere "DNA machines" which of course is logically possible but I don't think anyone wants to defend that possibility)
(2a) A subset (2), but involving specific claims (i.e. a religious tradition) about the nature of this deity and its relationship to humans. Obviously there are many variations of this, most of which are contradictory if taken literally at all. Most believers are not simply deists who believe in (2), and fall into this category.
Claim (3): Since atheists do not believe in (2), they cannot live meaningful lives.
But since believers believe in (2), if they are correct, humans are not just "DNA machines." They are something more.
So is it the false belief in (1) that prevents living a meaningful life, even if (2) is true?
If that is the case, then what about the false beliefs in (2a)? They are also misinformed about the nature of reality and the true deity if (2) is true. Is the mere belief in any non-existent deity enough to give their lives meaning? That would be a strange way of justifying meaning. Are atheists then not capable of "tricking" themselves into a meaningful life? It could also be based on a false belief if (2a) is enough. It would be incumbent on believers to explain this distinction.
So if believers believe (2), they cannot make the claim (3). Unless they want to make the claim for nearly all believers as well.
Of course, this does not address the justification of meaning in life if (1) is true, that is a separate argument.