[ExI] Pascals wager

[Ben]

On 04/05/2021 18:00, bill w wrote:
> atheism has no goals to offer people

Not so sure about that, either.

I'd call achieving an unblinkered, rational view of the world a goal. A 
very worthy one, too.
I'd call combating the evils of religion in a non-violent way a worthy 
goal as well.

Many atheists still have what I call a 'crypto-dualist' worldview, which 
is betrayed in their language. They may say they have no beliefs in the 
supernatural, but then say things which reveal some kind of conviction 
that there is something non-natural about the mind, for instance. Look a 
the number of atheists who can't take the final step to fully embrace 
materialism, and as a consequence deny that uploading can work, for 
instance ("it would 'only' be a copy!!").

I'd say that an important goal of atheism is to divest oneself of any 
trace of non-materialism, to fully accept that the mind is a result of 
physical processes, and all the consequences of that view. And yes, I 
know how difficult that can be. For many people, atheism is just as much 
a challenge as any religious path. But far more rewarding, in my view.

-- 
Ben Zaiboc