Are we born atheists?

[Tank]

I used to think so until somebody pointed out that to be atheist one need to understand theism, and recognise its improbability, which a baby does not.

So are babies atheists or agnostics or something else?

[Dark Lightning]

I think that they are simply ignorant. I wonder what an education that doesn't include the concept of "a" god would look like. The "god" concept is certainly pervasive in current society.

[Old Seer]

I would say neutral. The tyke has no knowledge to make a choice.There's a number of facts one must take into account, one, would a lion be an atheist?

[Tank]

I think that they are simply ignorant. I wonder what an education that doesn't include the concept of "a" god would look like. The "god" concept is certainly pervasive in current society.

Agreed.

[Tank]

I would say neutral. The tyke has no knowledge to make a choice.There's a number of facts one must take into account, one, would a lion be an atheist?

Agreed.

[zorkan]

So are babies atheists or agnostics or something else?

All babies are Zorkans in reality. It's just that they don't know it yet.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/12/atheist-baby-richard-dawkins-babies-atheism

[Tank]

 

[Recusant]

It goes to definitions. If atheist means a conscious entity that doesn't have a belief in gods, then to the extent that an infant or pre-speech rugrat can be described as conscious, they're atheist. If atheist means a conscious entity that has considered the deity proposition and rejected it, then the sprogs aren't atheist.

The Pirahã believe in spirits that can take the appearance of animals or trees or people, but have no concept of a god as such. Are they atheist? I suppose if an intrepid missionary managed to corner some of them then managed to teach them his language or learn theirs, then proceeded to preach the good news, he might find some takers, but probably not. The Christian god certainly isn't going to show himself in the form of a jungle creature or anything else that's clearly alive for that matter. Given their accustomed thought process (at least as understood by those who've met them) they would most likely take a Laplacean* approach--they have no need for such a hypothesis.

In this narrative, I suppose you could dispute whether the Pirahã pre-missionary are atheists, but I think I would say that they are. Their culture has existed probably for a few thousand years, yet they've never created a deity to worship. Apparently their grasp of reality is sufficient without the cloying magic sauce of gods.

Taking it back to the baby question, in my opinion the baby doesn't have enough grasp of reality to be considered an atheist unless somebody is going to insist on a narrow "lack of belief" definition.

*Yes I know that it's possibly apocryphal but it is attributed to Laplace, so I'm going with that.

[Tank]

Thoughtful contribution as always

[Asmodean]

I used to think so until somebody pointed out that to be atheist one need to understand theism, and recognise its improbability, which a baby does not.

So are babies atheists or agnostics or something else?

I'd say "apatheist."

Babies are not agnostic because they do not evaluate the possibility of knowledge - they merely lack it. Babies are atheist, but in the sense that they lack any belief in gods through lacking sufficient baggage to form said belief.

They quite simply "don't care yet."

[The Magic Pudding..]

I used to think so until somebody pointed out that to be atheist one need to understand theism, and recognise its improbability, which a baby does not.

So are babies atheists or agnostics or something else?

I'd say "apatheist."

Babies are not agnostic because they do not evaluate the possibility of knowledge - they merely lack it. Babies are atheist, but in the sense that they lack any belief in gods through lacking sufficient baggage to form said belief.

They quite simply "don't care yet."

I've been working with the "not theist" definition since and before I became a spoon making atheist (spoon making > than card carrying), I think I'll continue to.

I think I thought I understood, I was listening the other day, working my way back through the Melvyns, The Ontological Argument, these people, the great and celebrated, they're fucked in the head. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mwx64

[Niya]

Technically, human babies are just blank slates for the most part of their personality. One could argue they are simply unaware of the issue, and may not be called atheists or theists for that matter. Its only when you teach them, they have a leaning towards one way or the other.