The following is an archive post, placed here as a "best of". It was originally written January 2007...
I was thinking recently about the labels 'believer' and 'nonbeliever'. I have decided not to use them anymore for the very simple reason that the labels imply an unstated default phenomenon in which we are to believe or not believe. However...
- I believe that the natural universe is an amazing and wondrous thing.
- I believe that life is beautiful and valuable.
- I believe that all human beings are worthy of compassion and concern.
- I believe that reason, including science, is the best tool for understanding nature.
- I believe that a virtuous life is the best path to a happy life.
- I believe that ethics are best based on their effect on human well being.
In my book, I am not a nonbeliever - I am a believer. Those other people:
- the superstitious who disbelieve in the use of reason and evidence for claims,
- the dogmatic who disbelieve in freethought,
- the credulous who disbelieve in healthy skepticism,
- the extremists who disbelieve in humility and limits to our knowledge,
- the intolerant who disbelieve in universal compassion
- they are the nonbelievers.
Note: this post was edited on January 4, 2008 for bullet formatting.
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