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'''Strong atheism''' is the position that there is no [[God]] or [[other gods]], and that there is persuasive reason and/or evidence to support this conclusion.

'''Strong atheism''' is the position that there is no [[God]] or [[other gods]], and that there is persuasive reason and/or evidence to support this conclusion.  It stands in contrast to weak theism.

Arguments for strong atheism can be divided into the following categories:

Arguments for strong atheism can be divided into the following categories:

== Semantic apologetics ==

== Semantic apologetics ==

Semantic apologetics for atheism centers around criticism of the words used to describe God.   

Semantic apologetics encompasses arguments from strong atheism based on criticism of the words used to describe God.   

For example, a strong atheist might criticize the assertion "God transcends space and time" by asking what exactly the believer means by saying that.  If the believer is unable to explain what he means, the strong atheist would conclude "You don't know what you are talking about; therefore your statement carries no meaning; therefore you are not justified in believing it."

For example, a strong atheist might criticize the assertion "God transcends space and time" by asking what exactly the believer means by saying that.  If the believer is unable to explain what he means, the strong atheist would conclude "You don't know what you are talking about; therefore your statement carries no meaning; therefore you are not justified in believing it."

== Incoherency apologetics ==

== Incoherency apologetics ==

Incoherency apologetics for strong atheism centers around alleged contradictions in the attributes of God.

Incoherency apologetics encompasses arguments for strong atheism based on allegations that the concepts surroundind theism are incoherent and/or contradictory.

The most common brand of [[incoherency apologetics]] is the [[problem of evil]].  The argument states that if God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, then there should be no evil in the world, because God knows of the evil, could stop it, and would want to.  Therefore either God does not have one or more of the alleged attributes, or does not exist at all.  Either way, the God does not exist as believed.

The most common brand of [[incoherency apologetics]] is the [[problem of evil]].  The argument states that if God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, then there should be no evil in the world, because God knows of the evil, could stop it, and would want to.  Therefore either God does not have one or more of the alleged attributes, or does not exist at all.  Either way, the God does not exist as believed.

== Materialist apologetics ==

== Materialist apologetics ==

Materialist apologetics centers around allegations that materialism is necessary to reason, that theism necessarily contradicts materialism, and that because theism contradicts something that is necessary for reason, reason must reject theism.

Materialist apologetics encompasses arguments for strong atheism based on the assertions that materialism is necessary to reason, that theism necessarily contradicts materialism, and that because theism contradicts something that is necessary for reason, reason must reject theism.

For example, strong Atheist Michael Martin wrote:

For example, strong Atheist Michael Martin wrote: