Any etymologists in the house.

[EdFred]

Quick search revealed:

"an-/a- meaning:not, without - examples: anemic, asymmetric"

It's a fine point but I usually see the "without" meaning as appropriate.

Amoral means without morals. Immoral would be to have bad morals.

Asexual means without sex.

Apolitical means without politics.

And so on.

So a-theist would mean "without God". I know many put forth that atheists should be able to make an affirmative case for "no God", but I kind of like the "without God" - it seems to fit most of the atheist positions I've seen articulated. It's hard to prove a negative as is an unwarranted shifting of burden.

Though I'm sure there are exceptions.

I live my life without God, so I think atheist is an appropriate label.

I always thought of that as a cop out. If one is to make an absolute declaration one way or the other, the burden is still on them to prove the case. As an agnostic, both the theists and atheists are in the same camp from my point of view.

If I say purple spotted imvisible unicorns don't exist, the burden is still on me to back up my statement. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Although you're off a bit on the definition since the -ist suffix is in that word.

 

[FastEddieB]

As an agnostic, both the theists and atheists are in the same camp from my point of view.

I'd basically agree with that at the extremes - either 1 or 7.

I'm a 6, for what it's worth.

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[EdFred]

And for the record I have no problem with anyone who says, I believe X or Y. It's declaration of fact I take issue with.

 

[GBear286]

This is interesting stuff but what does it have to do with insects?

 

[flyingron]

Actually agnosticism is more specifically not just uncertainty as to the existence of God but the belief that we can not tell if God exists or not.

 

[Sac Arrow]

This is interesting stuff but what does it have to do with insects?

This is what really bugs Ed.

 

[Matthew]

It's getting increasingly imbecilic.

 

[JHW]

Certainly english is unlogical!

Amen. I have a good friend whose native language is Czech. His English is pretty good but he will say things like "help me carry these boxen up the stairs."

Meantime we seem to be slowly converging on a common language. My sister doesn't speak Spanish per se but her Texican is pretty good.

 

[Jim Logajan]

And for the record I have no problem with anyone who says, I believe X or Y. It's declaration of fact I take issue with.

Are you the reincarnation of Bomb 20?