New answers tagged proof
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Pragmatically, the burden of proof is on who is trying to convince other folks to think differently than they do. It depends only on who is the proselitist.
A (a)theist who is not trying to convince ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
No. The burden of proof lies with the proposer. Onus probandi incumbit ei qui dicit, non ei qui negat. I define atheism as the lack of belief in God. It is not the proposition that God does not exist.
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
If the properties and definition of god include observable effects in the empirical universe, then the burden of proof should be on the person advancing the explanation that opposes the science and ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
When there's a prevailing belief, the burden of proof falls on those who claim otherwise. For instance, when a geocentric universe was the common belief (it just seemed obvious to most people, and ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The burden of proof is on the proposer of the argument. There is no false equivalence. Principles are tools. It is pointless to discuss their "reality".
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
I strongly disagree with the accepted answer. Proving the non-existence of something is in most cases impossible. In science, most of the time we need to prove the existence.
That's what the Russel's ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
On a pure logical point of view, it is as impossible to provide a definitive proof that no god can exist as it is to provide one that one god exist. Any attempt will fail miserabily because of the ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
It's useful to ask the question outside the realm of theology. We accept many things on the basis of trust: for example, the fact that a hydrogen atom has one proton and one electron, or the fact that ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
I think burden of proof should be understood in a context of a claimant versus a skeptic. The claimant, taking initiative, says X is necessarily true. The skeptic says that X may possibly be true, but ...
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Accepted
What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The burden of proof falls on the one who makes the claim because, usually, they don't make this claim in a vacuum, without any goal in mind: they want other people to accept their claim and adjust ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
For me this is very simply answered: the question is invalid. To ask it at all is based on fallacious understanding of the issues involved.
I prefer the famous definition of "atheism" often ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Practically in informal circumstances the burden of prove lies with whoever needs to convert the doubter. If you are an atheist trying to persuade a Catholic their belief is misguided, the burden of ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Replace "atheist" with "A" and "theist" with "B." Run through the question and see if it makes sense to give the burden of proof to "A" or "B.&...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The burden of proof is merely the result of trying to figure out what beliefs we should start with and what should be proven from there.
It stops you from believing anything and everything without ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
Let us take an interesting example , suppose your neighbour claims he is your Dad ,then where does the burden of proof lies? On your neighbour ,or your mother ,or on you ,or your present Dad ? The ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The "burden of proof" is the principle that if you have a good reason to believe what you believe, and you want me to believe what you believe, you ought to say your good reason to believe ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The rule of onus probandi states that the burden of proof lies with the speaker, not with the one who negates, see the OP's question.
The three other principles mentioned in the OP’s question are ...
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What is the burden of proof? Has this principle ever been challenged?
The burden of proof is the fundamental tenet of skepticism. It insists that there is a burden to prove, and that is not accepted by many people.
I have seen no convincing argument against this ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
The answer is not going to be "the theist has the burden of proof" nor "the atheist has the burden of proof".
Before you can answer "Who has the burden of proof?", you ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Because of the fact that the God concept has strong connotations for many people it's easy to get "trapped" into a polarized way of thinking.
Firstly let me start with a pitfall in the ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
There is no such thing as a burden of proof. Hence, the question is unfounded. And if there is, it would be like any other ought thought of in history.
The same way that there is no way to objectively ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Unless one is a fideist, one is essentially bound to onus probandi. From WP:
[T]he burden of proof lies with the one who speaks, not the one who negates... is the obligation on a party in a dispute ...
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Accepted
Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
I think gnasher729 and NotThatGusy make a great first point - "God" is too fuzzy a concept. Any discussion of God first needs to establish what properties we are assuming God has.
However, ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
Supernatural claims always carry a severe burden of proof. Since the typical theistic claim involves supernatural causes or effects, it also carries a burden of proof.
In general, skeptics carry no ...
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
I'd say the burden of proof is on the theist. The theist asserts the existence of some god. The burden of proof lies with the one making the claim.
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Do atheists bear the burden of proof in showing why/how the reasons presented by theists are unconvincing?
The basic rule of a philosophical discussion is to support one's thesis by some arguments.
History of philosophy shows that neither the theist nor the atheist have succeeded in convincing the opponent ...
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