“For the mere thought of existence to occur, that which came to mind pre-existed the mind that created them. Therefore, I KNOW there are no gods, and I shall not worship knowledge; only applaud and revel in its ability to add to my existence.” -atheist web banner
I found the above message and header image (minus the url I removed), at an atheistic website. Since it had nearly as many logical fallacies as it had words, I could not resist the opportunity to expose this great illusion offered as truth.
1. The activity of thinking, presupposes existence
This is, as far as I can tell, a bastardized version of Descartes’ Cogito ergo sum or “I think. Therefore I am.” But as Bertrand Russell pointed out years later, Descartes was guilty of the Fallacy of Begging the Question.
Does this axiom hold up under the scrutiny of basic examination?
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Premise #1: “I think”
Premise #2: “In order to think, I must exist”
Conclusion: “I exist”
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However, that logic is completely circular because the conclusion “I exist” is assumed in the first premise “I think.” Once again, the activity of thinking, presupposes existence.
2. “For the mere thought of existence to occur”
Was there thinking going on before there was a mind to conceive of thought?
How could thoughts precede a mind to think them.
How was thinking occurring if no mind yet existed?
Therefore, the thought of existence can only initially occur in the mind of God.
3. “existence”
Since “existence” here is assumed to be that which has a finite beginning, the use of the term “existence” then inherently disqualifies the possibility of God who has no beginning.
4. “that which came to mind pre-existed the mind that created them.”
This claim is guilty of a Regression Fallacy. It is ascribing cause where no apparent cause exists. You have an infinite regression with no firm conclusion of what came first, thought or existence? By that rationale, this just as much proves the non existence of man as it does the non existence of God unless of course you think that “I know I exist because I know I exist” is not fallacious. According to this reasoning, we could all still be in the matrix sucking on the blue pill with no grasp of reality.
5. “Therefore, I KNOW there are no gods”
This person is making a knowledge claim. As with all claim-makers, the burden of proof is on them. Proclaiming fallacious reasoning with no firm conclusion does not accomplish this objective.
In order to make knowledge claims based on reason, you would first need to establish how you “KNOW” your reasoning is valid, which I trust this person cannot do. In order for this person to reason to this conclusion and for it to be the correct conclusion, they would have to validate how they know their reasoning is valid and not base it on circular arguments. Reasoning that your reason is reliable is viciously circular. Therefore, we have yet another logical fallacy promulgated by the Münchhausen Trilemma.
I do believe him though when he states that he “KNOW”s there are no gods, but not based on his assessment. I know that he “KNOW”s there are no gods, because the Bible says in Romans 1:18-20:
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Therefore, according to Scripture, EVERYONE KNOWS that God exists, though some are suppressing that truth in unrighteousness.
6. Absolutes and Certainty are Borrowed from the Bible
Furthermore, to say you “KNOW” something absolutely means that you believe in absolutes and certainty which presupposes things like Logic and Truth. Yet absolutes and certainty can only be accounted for in the Biblical Worldview.
The atheist believes only in a universe that is made of matter and is constantly changing. You do not get universal, immaterial and invariant laws from such a universe.
7. “and I shall not worship knowledge; only applaud and revel in its ability to add to my existence.”
Unless this person knows for certain that their mind is not being controlled, (and they cannot know that), then they can be wrong about everything they claim to know.
Therefore, without God, it is impossible to know anything, much less the impossibility of God.
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1