PaladInChrist

"If there were no God, there would be no atheists."

- GK Chesterton

Wyz_sub10

Of course you realize that only the concept of a god need exist.

But let's keep this thread on topic. We can start a new one to address this line of thinking.

Thomas Metcalf

Originally posted by PaladInChrist :

That's awfully dubious. If Chesterton is endorsing the following principle, he's committing himself to an obvious falsehood:

(DRE) Disbelief Requires Existence: For there to be a person who disbelieves in X, X must exist.

I hope that after all these years, Chesterton's not still DRE, because it's patently false: I disbelieve that a magical device exists that causes me to believe that this magical device exists. According to (DRE), then, I do believe that this magical device exists. But then we've got P & -P.

Either that, or Chesterton is endorsing a thesis that atheists' existence depends upon God's existence. But this is also false. No one can think of any good reason to believe humans' existence depends on God's existence.

PaladInChrist

Sorry to get the thread off track, maybe we should move it to another one. I thought you all might find that quote interesting...

ComestibleVenom

Interesting as in just how purile even a great man like Chesterton can be under the illogical influence of superstition?

Yes, I quite agree. Interesting indeed.

diana

Cool! You've just proven Yeti exist.

Because I don't believe in them. Natch.

d

Anson

Hehe Of course we all know reality is determined by belief.

Kat_Somm_Faen

Ummm .. no!

A => B. Therefore if A then B. True.

A=> B. Therefore if B than A. False.

Look it up.

And after you are done doing that replace A with "God" and then B with "Universe ( including atheists)".

I shall not go deeper into this since it is evidently true.

The_Unknown_Banana

I'm an aYeti-ist myself

Anson

If A what then B what?

Please explain.