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Exploring Atheism and Related Philosophies

This quiz explores the concepts of atheism, nontheism, and related philosophical ideas, including the historical context and arguments associated with these beliefs.

#Atheism #Nontheism #Philosophy #Freethought #Religion #History

1 What does the following picture show? Because of its absence of a creator god, Buddhism is commonly described as nontheistic. Percentage of people in various European countries who said: "I don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force." (2005) Proportion of atheists and agnostics around the world. Because of its absence of a creator god, Buddhism is commonly described as nontheistic.

2 With the spread of freethought, skeptical inquiry, and subsequent increase in ________, application of the term narrowed in scope.

3 ________ transliterated the Greek word into the Latin atheos.

4 The foundation of epistemological atheism is ________, which takes a variety of forms.

5 ________ became increasingly frequent in the 17th and 18th centuries, especially in France and England, where there appears to have been a religious malaise, according to contemporary sources.

6 Although some atheists tend toward secular philosophies such as ________, rationalism, and naturalism, there is no one ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.

7 What does the following picture show? Epicurus is credited with first expounding the problem of evil. David Hume in his Dialogues concerning Natural Religion (1779) cited Epicurus in stating the argument as a series of questions: "Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?" Epicurus is credited with first expounding the problem of evil. David Hume in his Dialogues concerning Natural Religion (1779) cited Epicurus in stating the argument as a series of questions: "Is [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing? whence then is evil?" Ludwig Feuerbach's The Essence of Christianity (1841) would greatly influence philosophers such as Engels, Marx, David Strauss, Nietzsche, and Max Stirner. He considered God to be a human invention and religious activities to be wish-fulfillment. For this he is considered the founding father of modern anthropology of religion. Proportion of atheists and agnostics around the world.

8 These persecutions ended with the ________, but some of the secularizing measures of this period remained a permanent legacy of French politics.

9 The chaotic political events in revolutionary Paris eventually enabled the more radical Jacobins to seize power in 1793, ushering in the ________.

10 A similar argument is attributed to ________, the founder of Buddhism.

💡 Interesting Facts

  • the Soviet atheist magazine Bezbozhnik (cover pictured) accused some rabbis of having organized anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire.
  • the Jugendweihe is a secular alternative to confirmation in Germany and became a Socialist pledge in the atheist GDR.
  • Penitents Compete is a Turkish reality television series in which a Jewish rabbi, a Buddhist monk, a Greek Orthodox priest, and a Muslim imam try to convert atheists.
  • Margaret Downey's first major public activism for atheism was in response to the Boy Scouts of America refusing to renew her son's membership due to his professed atheism.
  • Cecil Bothwell's election to the Asheville, North Carolina, city council was challenged on the grounds that the North Carolina Constitution does not allow for atheists to hold public office.
  • Maraimalai Adigal, a Saivite and considered the father of the Pure Tamil movement, disagreed with the atheistic beliefs of Periyar's Self-Respect Movement.
  • developmental biologist PZ Myers, who writes about evolution, cephalopods, politics, and atheism, is the top-ranked science blogger according to the journal Nature.
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