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Atheism and empathy (view source)
Revision as of 06:09, December 15, 2019
, 06:09, December 15, 2019→Atheism and autism
...some people were angry that I seemed to suggest that atheists were antisocial weirdos. Well, [http://www.gnxp.com/blog/2007/08/religiosity-and-personality-how-are.php there is some data to back that up].<ref>[http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2011/09/what-atheism-and-autism-may-have-in-common/ What atheism and autism may have in common] By Razib Khan, September 19, 2011]</ref>}}
...some people were angry that I seemed to suggest that atheists were antisocial weirdos. Well, [http://www.gnxp.com/blog/2007/08/religiosity-and-personality-how-are.php there is some data to back that up].<ref>[http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2011/09/what-atheism-and-autism-may-have-in-common/ What atheism and autism may have in common] By Razib Khan, September 19, 2011]</ref>}}
== Atheist PZ Myers' blog audience and their reported Asperger's quotient test results ==
[[File:PZ Myers.jpg|thumbnail|220px|right|[[PZ Myers]] ]]
[[Vox Day]] has written about atheists being "socially autistic".<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2007/08/socially-autistic-atheist.html The socially autistic atheist] by [[Vox Day]], August 02, 2007</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-lesson-in-atheist-social-autism.html A lesson in atheist social autism] by [[Vox Day]], August 13, 2014</ref><ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheists-and-daddy-issues.html Atheists and Daddy issues] by Vox Day, August 23, 2012</ref>
[[Asperger's syndrome]] (sometimes referred to as "High-Functioning Autism" or "HFA") is an umbrella term used to classify problematic behaviours similar to, but less severe than, those within the lower reaches of the [[Autism|autistic spectrum]].
Day wrote concerning atheist [[PZ Myers]]' blog audience:
{{cquote|It's by no means a scientific test, but it is interesting to note the coincidence that 59 of the virulent atheists over at Dr. PZ Myers place [http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/08/01/im-mostly-normal/#comments report an average score] on the [http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test Asperger's Quotient test] of 27.8. And this does not include the two individuals who actually have Asperger's but did not report any test results."
As PZ himself said: "I took the test and scored a 24, an “average math contest winner.” You need a 32 to suggest Asperger’s, and a 15 is the average. So there. I don’t have Asperger’s, I’m just cruel and insensitive."<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/08/pz-admits-hes-wrong.html PZ admits he's wrong] by Theodore Beale, Friday, August 29, 2014</ref>}}
Below is some information that Aspergerstest.com gives concerning interpreting their Asperger's quiz results:
{{cquote|Basically the range for possible answers is 0 to 50. The information below shows you the different ranges as recorded from others sitting this same AQ quiz over the years.
0-11 low result – indicating no tendency at all towards autistic traits.
11-21 is the average result that people get (many women average around 15 and men around 17)
22-25 shows autistic tendencies slightly above the population average
26-31 gives a borderline indication of an autism spectrum disorder. It is also possible to have aspergers or mild autism within this range.
32-50 indicates a strong likelihood of Asperger syndrome or autism.
In fact, scores of 32 or above are one of strong indicators of having as ASD.<ref>[http://aspergerstest.net/interpreting-aq-test-results/ Interpreting Asperger's Test Results]</ref>}}
==== PZ Myers' antitheist blog audience and the issue of narcissism vs. Asperger's Syndrome ====
[[File:Michael Nugent.jpg|thumbnail|left|200px|[[Michael Nugent]] is chairperson of Atheist Ireland. ]]
PZ Myers is a [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] and New Atheism is a contemporary form of [[antitheism]].<ref>[http://www.michaelnugent.com/2014/11/04/chronology-of-misrepresentations-and-smears-in-the-atheist-movement-by-pz-myers-and-others/ Chronology of misrepresentations and smears in the atheist movement by PZ Myers and others] by Michael Nugent on November 4, 2014</ref><ref>[http://thehumanist.com/magazine/november-december-2009/features/comes-a-horseman Comes a Horseman] by PZ Myers • 13 October 2009</ref> Therefore, it is very probable his blog appeals to people who hold to a antitheism perspective. Social science research indicates that antitheists score the highest among [[Atheism|atheists]] when it comes to personality traits such as [[narcissism]], dogmatism, and anger.<ref>
*[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ Science Shows New Atheists to be Mean and Closed-Minded]
*[http://www.thisviewoflife.com/index.php/magazine/articles/why-sam-harris-is-unlikely-to-change-his-mind10 Why Sam Harris is Unlikely to Change his Mind] by JONATHAN HAIDT, February 3, 2014 8:36 pm</ref> Furthermore, they scored lowest when it comes to agreeableness and positive relations with others.<ref>[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ Science Shows New Atheists to be Mean and Closed-Minded]</ref>
In the United States, a University of Tennessee study estimated that 15% of [[American atheism|American atheists]] were antitheists.<ref>[http://www.alternet.org/belief/6-types-atheists-and-non-believers-america The 6 Types of Atheists and Non-Believers in America] By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet
July 11, 2013</ref>
The atheist biologist Massimo Pigliucci said of Myers and his blog audience, "one cannot conclude this parade without mentioning P.Z. Myers, who has risen to fame because of a blog where the level of nastiness (both by the host and by his readers) is rarely matched anywhere else on the Internet...".<ref>[http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/piggliucci20150513 Reflections on the skeptic and atheist movements] By Massimo Pigliucci ''Scientia Salon'', Posted: May 13, 2015</ref> In April 2015, Atheist Ireland announced, "Atheist Ireland is publicly dissociating itself from the hurtful and dehumanising, hateful and violent, unjust and defamatory rhetoric of the atheist blogger PZ Myers."<ref>[http://www.michaelnugent.com/2015/04/07/atheist-ireland-dissociates-from-pz-myers/ Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers] by Michael Nugent, April 7, 2015</ref>
See also: [[PZ Myers#Inappropriate commentary on the suicide of comedian Robin Williams|PZ Myers' Inappropriate commentary on the suicide of comedian Robin Williams]] and [[PZ Myers#Rejoicing at the accidental death of a Brazilian priest and then fantasizing about killing priests|PZ Myers' rejoicing at the accidental death of a Brazilian priest and then fantasizing about killing priests]]
[[File:US autism 6 17 1996-2007.svg.png|thumbnail|200px|In the United States, reports of autism cases per 1,000 children grew dramatically from 1996 to 2007. It is unknown how much, if any, of that growth came from changes in autism's actual prevalence.<ref>
*Prevalence and changes in diagnostic practice:Fombonne E. The prevalence of autism. JAMA. 2003;289(1):87–9.
*Wing L, Potter D. The epidemiology of autistic spectrum disorders: is the prevalence rising? Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2002;8(3):151–61.</ref>]]
Dr. Mark Goulston, M.D. wrote in his article ''Just Listen - Don't Confuse a Narcissist with Asperger's Syndrome'':
{{cquote|Both narcissists and high functioning people with Asperger like features are goal minded to a fault, and both can view other people more as functions or vehicles to achieve that goal instead of as people with feelings. However a critical difference between the two is that a narcissist doesn't care if they hurt you or your feelings (and the truly malignant ones may even take delight in doing so), whereas someone with Asperger's like features would prefer not to.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-goulston-md/just-listen---dont-confus_b_316169.html ''Just Listen - Don't Confuse a Narcissist with Asperger's Syndrome''], Dr. Mark Goulston, M.D., Huffington Post</ref>}}
British psychiatrist Dr. Khalid A. Monsour says regarding Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD):
{{cquote|“… it is noticeable that people with NPD, do not show a major degree of functioning problems in stress free environment or when they are supported (except that they are perceived as “not pleasant characters” to deal with). However under stress and without support they can become quite dysfunctional in a way not far from what we usually see in Asperger’s syndrome. “<ref>[https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/resolution-not-conflict/201406/do-you-think-narcissism-autistic-spectrum-disorder Do You Think of Narcissism as an Autistic Spectrum Disorder?]</ref>}}
The journalist Dr. Sam Vaknin argues: "Asperger's Disorder is often misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), though evident as early as age 3 (while pathological narcissism cannot be safely diagnosed prior to early adolescence)."<ref>[http://samvak.tripod.com/journal72.html Misdiagnosing Narcissism: Asperger's Disorder] By: Dr. Sam Vaknin</ref>
== Atheism and psychopathy ==
== Atheism and psychopathy ==