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→Types of Atheism
==Types of Atheism==
==Types of Atheism==
There different types of atheism, based on different answers to the following questions:
There different types of atheism, based on different answers to the following questions:
* In what God or gods does the atheist deny?
* What God or gods does the atheist deny?
* Why does the atheist deny?
* Why does the atheist deny?
* How does the atheist's denial manifest itself?
* How does the atheist's denial manifest itself?
=== Which God or gods? ===
=== Which God or gods? ===
[[Image:Socrates.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The [[Greece|Greek]] philosopher [[Socrates]]]]
[[Image:Socrates.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The [[Greece|Greek]] philosopher [[Socrates]]]]
Since atheism is denial of the existence of God or gods, it is important first to identify in ''which god'' the atheist denies. In ancient times, for example, Christians were accused of being atheists because of their denial of the pagan gods, even though they believed in the ''Christian'' God.<ref>Athenagoras, ''A Plea for the Christians, 2d century a.d.[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html]</ref> [[Socrates]] was also accused of Atheism, although references to God run throughout his recorded statements.<ref>Plato, Apol., 26,c.</ref> Also, [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]] professed belief in "God," but they defined "God" as the cosmos as a whole, and without personality. Therefore, one can be considered an atheist with respect to one god, but a theist with respect to another, and it is important to understand first in ''what God'' the atheist denies.
Since atheism is the denial of the existence of God or gods, it is important first to identify ''which god'' the atheist denies. In ancient times, for example, Christians were accused of being atheists because of their denial of the pagan gods, even though they believed in the ''Christian'' God.<ref>Athenagoras, ''A Plea for the Christians, 2d century a.d.[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/athenagoras-plea.html]</ref> [[Socrates]] was also accused of Atheism, although references to God run throughout his recorded statements.<ref>Plato, Apol., 26,c.</ref> Also, [[Albert Einstein]] and [[Baruch Spinoza]] professed belief in "God," but they defined "God" as the cosmos as a whole, and without personality. Therefore, one can be considered an atheist with respect to one god, but a theist with respect to another, and it is important to understand first ''which God'' the atheist denies.
=== Why does the atheist state they disbelieve?===
=== Why does the atheist disbelieve?===
Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist ([[Strong atheism]]), and their claim that theists bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted ([[Weak atheism]]).
Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist ([[Strong atheism]]), and their claim that theists bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted ([[Weak atheism]]).