The meaning of 'atheist'

[zippy2006]

There has been much conversation in this forum about the meaning of atheism. I've argued that defining atheism as a mere lack of belief is insufficient (see here, here, and here). I've been told that atheists get to decide what atheism means and that I should just keep quiet. But atheists don't get to decide what any word means, for common usage determines the meaning of words. So let's see what the dictionaries say:

• Atheism: the theory or belief that God does not exist. (The New Oxford American Dictionary)
• Atheist: one who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition)
• Atheist: one who disbelieves or denies the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being. (GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English)
  
• Atheist: one who denies the existence of God, or of a supreme intelligent being. (The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia)
• Atheist: someone who denies the existence of god. (WordNet 3.0)
  
• Atheist: a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods. (Merriam-Webster)
• Atheist: a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings. (Dictionary.com)
• Atheism: Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods. (The Free Dictionary)
• Atheist: someone who believes that God does not exist. (Cambridge Online Dictionary)
• Atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods. (Oxford Online Dictionary)

Note that only the Oxford Online Dictionary gives the lack of belief as a definition for atheism. Merriam-Webster is somewhat ambiguous, but two articles from MW provide a clear definition. The first is from their article, "Secular, Atheist, and Agnostic":

Though atheist and agnostic are words that are often used together or cited in similar contexts, they do not mean the same thing. Agnostic comes from the Greek word meaning "unknown" or "unknowable" (a-, "not" or "without," and gnōstos, meaning "known"). It means "a person who does not have a definite belief about whether God exists or not" or, more broadly, "a person who does not believe or is unsure of something."

Atheist also comes from Greek, from a- meaning "not" or "without" and theos, meaning "god." In English it simply means "a person who believes that God does not exist."​

The second is from an Editor's note, "How Agnostic Differs from Atheist":

Many people are interested in distinguishing between the words agnostic and atheist. The difference is quite simple: atheist refers to someone who believes that there is no god (or gods), and agnostic refers to someone who doesn’t know whether there is a god, or even if such a thing is knowable. This distinction can be troublesome to remember, but examining the origins of the two words can help...
​

Dictionary.com gives a similar assessment in their "Synonym Study" on atheism and agnosticism:

An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine. An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings.
​

As these entries should make clear, "atheism" is not a passive lack of belief, but rather an active disbelief or denial of the existence of God. Furthermore, we ought to call someone who merely lacks belief an agnostic rather than an atheist:

Agnostic -

1. a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (such as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god​

Some additional evidence:

• Most atheists would be willing to wager that if they were confronted with a new argument for God's existence, that argument would fail and they would remain atheists. But why would anyone so wager unless they actually believe God doesn't exist and that the conclusion of the argument is therefore false? (Extended version)
• A large number of agnostics would deny that they are atheists. Why would this be so if atheism meant mere lack of belief?

 

[Cute Tink]

Disbelief means lack of belief. That's in many of your definitions. "Does not believe" is the same thing.

Seems a bit like nitpicking at this point. A lot of people seem preoccupied lately in insisting that a group of people hold a particular position on a subject when they don't. Just seems like maybe that group of people might best know what they believe all on their own. That's all I really have to say about that.

 

[bhsmte]

Cool, i can deal with that. I dont believe personal gods exist and i can compare the christians claims of this god and overlay that with well evidenced reality and conclude this god does not exist. In regards to non personal gods, i am agnostic. Now, this is where i stand based on available evidence, but am open to acknowledging new evidence, just as i did when i left christianity after many decades.

 

[zippy2006]

Disbelief means lack of belief. That's in many of your definitions.

Let's see:

• Disbelieve: be unable to believe (someone or something). (Google Dictionary)
• Disbelieve: to hold not worthy of belief : not believe ; to withhold or reject belief (Merriam-Webster)
  
• Disbelieve: to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in. (Dictionary.com)
• Disbelieve: to not believe someone or something. (Cambridge Dictionary)
• Disbelieve: To refuse to believe or accept; reject. (The Free Dictionary)
• Disbelieve: to refuse to believe; reject as untrue. (Collins English Dictionary)

If you look at the examples the various dictionaries give, you will see that "to not believe" or "to have no belief" are meant actively as believing the thing is false.

Note that your argument is based on a small percentage of definitions of disbelieve within a small percentage of definitions of atheist, and even these can be answered as noted above.

 

[RC1970]

Disbelief means lack of belief. That's in many of your definitions. "Does not believe" is the same thing.

What you are describing is "unbelief".

 

[durangodawood]

"Atheist" just makes formal sense as not-theist.

Believers are just itching to be able to argue against a strong knowledge claim, rather than an "I dont know" or "I dont feel compelled".

 

[Cute Tink]

Disbelief: the act of disbelieving : mental rejection of something as untrue. (Merriam-Webster)

Same source: Disbelieving (a link in the definition you quote here): to hold not worthy of belief : not believe; to withhold or reject belief

I also added more to my post while you were responding, but I think this just furthers my point. Thanks for your assistance with that.

 

[Cute Tink]

What you are describing is "unbelief".

Also the definition of "disbelief" or "disbelieving". I literally looked at the dictionary definitions before posting.

Also, look in the thesaurus. They are synonyms anyway.

Why are we so busy trying to nitpick what other people do or don't believe?

 

[zippy2006]

Seems a bit like nitpicking at this point. A lot of people seem preoccupied lately in insisting that a group of people hold a particular position on a subject when they don't. Just seems like maybe that group of people might best know what they believe all on their own. That's all I really have to say about that.

The issue has nothing to do with what a group of people believe. It has to do with what a word means. The meaning of words is not determined by a small group of people.

 

[Cute Tink]

The issue has nothing to do with what a group of people believe. It has to do with what a word means. The meaning of words is not determined by a small group of people.

As you established with your plethora of dictionary quotes, the word means exactly what atheists say it does. I'm not sure where the confusion is coming from with those who insist otherwise.

The issue is that people are demanding that atheists believe something that they don't necessarily and don't have to according to the dictionaries. I'm unsure of the reason behind such obsession.

 

[zippy2006]

Disbelief means lack of belief. That's in many of your definitions. "Does not believe" is the same thing.

Merriam-Webster gives "does not believe," and then in the Editor's note makes clear what this means. When we say "He does not believe in X," it generally means that he believes X does not exist. This fact is admittedly obscured by atheist antics.

"Atheist" just makes formal sense as not-theist.

If etymologies were definitions you would have a case. As is, they are not.

Believers are just itching to be able to argue against a strong knowledge claim, rather than an "I dont know" or "I dont feel compelled".

I'm just pointing out that many who consider themselves atheists are really agnostics.

 

[Cute Tink]

Merriam-Webster gives "does not believe," and then in the Editor's note makes clear what this means. When we say "He does not believe in X," it generally means that he believes X does not exist. This fact is admittedly obscured by atheist antics.

No by atheist antics. The meaning of "does not believe" is plain. Your assertion that it must mean something else is pointless.

Besides, your definitions, by plurality, still don't support your assertion.

 

[quatona]

I'm just pointing out that many who consider themselves atheists are really agnostics.

It´s good to know that most of your posts addressing "atheists" are addressing pretty much no one around here.

 

[RC1970]

Also the definition of "disbelief" or "disbelieving". I literally looked at the dictionary definitions before posting.

Also, look in the thesaurus. They are synonyms anyway.

Why are we so busy trying to nitpick what other people do or don't believe?

I can see where they could be considered synonyms. I always think of "disbelief" as more forceful or determined and "unbelief" as lacking assurance.

So, to say you are an Atheist, would be to have certainty as opposed to being an Agnostic, which would just be unsure.

 

[Cute Tink]

I can see where they could be considered synonyms. I always think of "disbelief" as more forceful or determined and "unbelief" as lacking assurance.

You are free to think that way, but some of the dictionaries out there seem to disagree with you.

So, to say you are an Atheist, would be to have certainty as opposed to being an Agnostic, which would just be unsure.

Gnostic would be to have certainty, the opposite of agnostic.

 

[zippy2006]

The meaning of "does not believe" is plain. Your assertion that it must mean something else is pointless.

• He does not believe in unicorns.
• She does not believe in second chances.
• He does not believe it will rain tomorrow.
• She does not believe the Giants will win the Superbowl.

You're right, the meaning is plain, and it is exactly what I said.

 

[durangodawood]

...If etymologies were definitions you would have a case. As is, they are not....

Dictionaries report on word meaning in the active language. They dont fix words in place for all time.

 

[Cute Tink]

• He does not believe in unicorns.
• She does not believe in second chances.
• He does not believe it will rain tomorrow.
• She does not believe the Giants will win the Superbowl.

You're right, the meaning is plain, and it is exactly what I said.

The meaning is clear, but it doesn't match with your OP. "Does not believe" =/= "believes there is no".

However, this seems to have far more importance to you for some reason. I'm not sure what you have invested in the idea that atheists have to believe your way, but your own OP contradicts your point. Since you want to continue to insist otherwise, I'll leave you to your thread.

Just realize it's not changing what anyone believes or doesn't.

 

[zippy2006]

Dictionaries report on word meaning in the active language. They dont fix words in place for all time.

What is your point? The OP is obviously concerned with the current meaning of "atheist," and your etymology still isn't a definition.

 

[durangodawood]

...I'm just pointing out that many who consider themselves atheists are really agnostics.

Some of your dictionary definitions support the not-theist usage of atheist. So "atheists" should feel ok carrying on as usual.