Atheism And The Existence Of God Essay - 1294 Words

The question of who bears the burden of proof frequently comes up in debates between theists and atheists. In some cases, the theists claim that the atheists bear the burden of proof as it is a self evident fact that God exists. Whereas some atheists would claim that the theists bear the burden of proof since they are making supernatural claims. In the following essay I will be discussing both opinions on this matter, and perhaps show how the burden of proof lies on both of them and neither of them. I will begin this discussion by defining the recurring terms during the discussion on the existence of God. Traditionally the three attitudes one could hold towards the existence of God are theism, atheism and agnosticism. The belief in the existence of God or Gods, in specific of one that intervenes in the matters of the universe is defined as theism (Oxford Dictionaries, English, 2016). Atheism as defined in the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition) refers to the negation of theism or in other words, the denial of the existence of God. Agnosticism is referred to one the maintains that the nothing is known of the belief of God or cannot be known (Oxford Dictionaries, English, 2016). A ‘burden of proof’ is seen as an obligation on a party in a dispute to provide sufficient warrant for their position (En.wikipedia.org, 2016). In debates on this subject matter, often times when theists are asked for the basis of their belief in God, they respond that theirShow MoreRelatedThe Existence Of God ( Theism And Atheism )2203 Words   |  9 PagesThe Existence of God (Theism and Atheism) Throughout the history of mankind, humans have believed in a variety of supernatural deities; some have believed in deities on a personal level while others view them as all-powerful protectors. 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