1 definition by AllmanBros
Atheism is absence of belief in god(s). It is not necessarily belief that no god(s) exist. Just as asexual is absence of sex in reproduction, not opposition to sex or asymmetrical is absence of symmetry, not opposition to symmetry. Atheism is simple absence of theism.
Frequently people confuse the theism vs atheism question with the gnostic vs agnostic question. The word gnostic means pertaining to knowledge. It is a question about whether a person is certain or "knows".
Everybody is either theist or atheist and everybody is either gnostic or agnostic. There are agnostic theists. They believe god(s) exist, but don't claim to know for sure personally. There are gnostic theists. They believe and claim to know for sure that god(s) exist. There are agnostic atheists. They do not believe in god(s), but do not claim to know with certainty that no god exists. There are also gnostic atheists who claim to know that no god exists. It possible and quite common among atheists to not have been convinced of the hypothesis that god(s) exist without taking the position that no god exists.
Frequently people confuse the theism vs atheism question with the gnostic vs agnostic question. The word gnostic means pertaining to knowledge. It is a question about whether a person is certain or "knows".
Everybody is either theist or atheist and everybody is either gnostic or agnostic. There are agnostic theists. They believe god(s) exist, but don't claim to know for sure personally. There are gnostic theists. They believe and claim to know for sure that god(s) exist. There are agnostic atheists. They do not believe in god(s), but do not claim to know with certainty that no god exists. There are also gnostic atheists who claim to know that no god exists. It possible and quite common among atheists to not have been convinced of the hypothesis that god(s) exist without taking the position that no god exists.
by AllmanBros July 29, 2015