TheVeganAtheist wrote:
I think the whole argument of objective morality can be a bit problematic, but not impossible to argue from a atheistic perspective.
Objective morality is easy to argue; it's one of the theists weakest points, when you bring out Euthyphro. I deal in strict philosophy on those matters, rather than appealing to evolutionary sources (which is empirical, and hence not absolute as is logic- a theist tends to reject anything they can worm through, despite overwhelming probability).
I'm not very interested in the conversation: "Does god certainly exist, or is that not proven?"
Instead, I'm interested in the conversation: "Does god certainly not exist, or is that not proven?"
From my perspective, a theist only has to substantiate his or her views to the point of internal consistency- to the point that, from my perspective, I can not prove the version of god presented does not exist.
Obviously the burden of proof
should belong to the theist to prove that a god does exist, but that's impossible for them to argue, and any theist who does argue that is usually an idiot, or employing some very dishonest tactics. The smarter theists know, at least, that it can not be proven, but maintain instead that it is a possibility- one that they just have faith is true- these are the people I'm interested in arguing with.
I don't concede that god DOES exist if I can't prove it doesn't (and neither would such a more honest theist expect me to). But if a theist presents a good argument for the plausibility of a version of god that does not violate logic as far as I can tell, and presents an internally consistent world view, then I'm happy enough to admit that I can not disprove that particular god (while still not positively believing it does exist), and leave with a friendly handshake and a "good debate".
The best arguments for god's plausibility involve simply defining "god" in such a way that makes it not demonstrably impossible (at least internally consistent)-- or even empirically likely that it exists in addition (that would be something).
These god concepts, however, tend to be very non-standard, and often classically heretical.