the meaning of atheism

[Davin]

It's nominal data, it's inherently "flawed" however a sliding scale suffers the same by merely creating the illusion of measurable data, this method is just as inaccurate and flawed on it's own. The data is subjective and as pedantic as anyone wants to get, the values are still subjective in that our values cannot be accurately compared to each other. However a method for showing a more accurate and useful set of data on subjective terms requires several (20 to 50) questions of ordinal values and of nominal values. Only with those kinds of questionnaires can we even come close to being able to more accurately compare subjective values. Without subjecting everyone you meet to a series of questions, the Dawkins scale at least creates some useful definitions that one can work from.

I'm assuming that Dawkins just wanted a blunt tool for people to be better able to quickly express their views on god, in that way it is effective for most people. Because there are a few outliers doesn't mean it's flawed, when it serves a useful purpose. I'm sure that Dawkins understands that these categories aren't going to match very many people accurately, just as defining a species never accurately defines what a creature is. However using the concept of species we have something defined we can work from, which is what the purpose of his scale appears to be. Considering the utility of such a device, I think it's more effective than just using atheist/theist and agnostic/gnostic dichotomies, if nothing more than just gives the classifications more complexity.

[PoopShoot]

I can understand that, but the exercise is subjective by nature.  If someone asks "what are you?" and I say "5.3", it's a valid subjective assessment of what I think.  The other person can't say "well you're doing it wrong".  That's no different than Eddy saying "you're an atheist, so you're a nihilist", it's just to a lesser degree.

[Davin]

I can understand that, but the exercise is subjective by nature.  If someone asks "what are you?" and I say "5.3", it's a valid subjective assessment of what I think.  The other person can't say "well you're doing it wrong".  That's no different than Eddy saying "you're an atheist, so you're a nihilist", it's just to a lesser degree.

Is that "5.3" with the Dawkins scale or the one you proposed with two values and a sliding scale between them? If it's the latter, then what are the two values on each end?

[PoopShoot]

It was an example, but I was addressing the Dawkins scale.  Here's another scale that neatly packages everyone into neat little boxes, even if they don't really fit: http://christian-cross-talk.blogspot.co ... e-you.html

[epepke]

I try not to call myself an atheist any more, though it is technically accurate, because I was influenced by a YouTube video by eightfootmanchild.  Let's see if I can figure out the tags:
[youtube:qswx331n]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IyJp5dak9M[/youtube:qswx331n]

[leveni]

Asmodean
Please avoid giving atheism meanings it doesn't have - it is, after all, not a religion or a political doctrine.

I agree, I think this sums up my feeling up until I entered my first Atheist site. Up until then I gave the subject no real thought. In my mind the meaning was just NO GOD, but there was no thinking or deeper meaning involved.

The Magic Pudding,
the 1 to 7 thing by Dawkins

I had to laugh at what tank put down

I'm 6 in my head and 7 in my heart

but I think I'll stick with what Asmodean said.

http://img594.imageshack.us/i/atheistpoll.jpg/
Thanks tank, I think that is exactly what I was going to do. I kind of that that the response would be something similar to that.

[TheWilliam]

Atheism, what does it mean?

It means nothing to me, really. It's the word that is used to categorize me because of how I think and that's pretty much it. So I am an atheist in the same way that I am a human being. That's just the word for "what I am."

this is the level i reached just a little under a year ago.

I only call myself atheist because it's the short way of saying "i'm too old for fairytales".

but really to me, i'm not an atheist.....

....I'm an uncle
a catering coordinator
a tobacco distributor
a baby sitter
a friend
a brother (i mean like biological)
a boyfriend
a floral hobbyist
a tax payer

when talking to a person and religion comes up I don't actually say the word "Atheist"

I just say, I'm too old for that.

I'm an adult with more interesting things going on than wacky old boys clubs that were made up when humans thought the world was flat.