Why do some people think philosophers do not believe in God?

Question

In America what difference does it make which catagory you ask a question about Jesus. It is going to be pro, con or an honest I don't know.

Answer 1

Obviously, numerous philosophers were also theologians (e.g., St. Thomas Aquinas); however, not all philosophers are theologians. Thus, since a question about Christianity is--by default--a theological question, some people believe that it should be placed in the theology or religion section of Yahoo Answers. I can understand their point but I also think that religion and philosophy overlap so greatly that the distinction between the two is minor. One should ask his/her question whereever he/she thinks they will get the richest response.

Answer 2

The reason some people think philosophers don't believe in God is simple. Logical even. Some philosophers DON'T believe in God. That's that. However, the Universal Proposition of type A "All philosophers are atheists" is patently false and commits the Fallacy of Overgeneralization or Hasty Generalization. One infers a General or Universal Law based on a handful of examples. Not the best way to go!

What we have here is basically a stereotype not unlike racial stereotypes. Some Jews are greedy, so we conclude that ALL of them are greedy. Some Mexicans are lazy so we conclude ALL Mexicans are lazy. Some Philosophers are atheists so we conclude ALL Philosophers are atheists.
Some Muslims are terrorists, so we conclude ALL Muslims are terrorists!

Same fallacy is committed in ALL the above.

Examples of philosophers who DID believe in God include: Socrates, Plato, Renee Descartes, Immanuel Kant, Soren Kierkegaard, Leibniz who co-created with Newton a new form of Mathematics called Calculus (The Pebble) and many many others..

Examples of Philosophers who did not believe in God include: Epicurus, Lucretius, Nietzsche (debatable), J.P. Satre, Bertrand Russell and many others.

If you go back in time, you'll find most of the Atheist philosophers existed either in ancient times like Epicurus and Lucretius, or Post 1800s like Nietzsche and Russell.
In between, almost every philosopher was a Theistic or Deistic type and very definitely believed in God.

There is a reason for this: The Hegemony of the Roman Catholic Church, and its vicelike grip on education in Europe, which awarded those philosophers who came out as atheists of agnostics with the Stake! Atheists, like Gays existed during the Middle Ages, as they do in Saudi Arabia, only life there is rather risky to say the least! So most keep their mouths shut and remain in the closet.

The Bold Philosopher in Theocratic countries is much like the Bold Mushroom Hunter.

There are Old Mushroom Hunters. There are Bold Mushroom Hunters. But no Old Bold Mushroom Hunters!


But even the Theistic philosophers were liable to get roasted as well if they disagreed on any matter big or small like Giordano Bruno, who believed in reincarnation!


Then there's philosophers like myself and Spinoza who disbelieve in the God of Theism (and so are often lumped in with the Atheists and Agnostics), yet are not actually Atheists, nor are we Deists. We are Pantheists. And I, an existentialist to boot, a philosophy that really doesn't give a poop about Metaphysics, being more concerned with here and now daily life! You could therefore believe in just about anything regarding Metaphysics or Ultimate Realities and be an existentialist. Kierkegaard was a Christian. J. P. Satre was an atheist. Yet, both had basically the same philosophy!

Answer 3

I think there is an important difference between theology and philosophy, even if there is some significant overlap, especially regarding Western religion. Theology takes a predefined philosophical stance that knowledge is attainable via a particular set of rules defined by whatever the religion holds as its core values. This is a philosophical statement in itself, but it does not seek to question or examine that statement as philosophy does. It simply states it as a priori fact and proceeds from there without questioning it beyond a certain point.

For instance, a Christian theological argument about the nature of God will derive its ideas from the Bible, whereas a philosophical argument may reference the Bible, but it will seek to go beyond that and not take it as a priori truth. It will call to question many of the theological assumptions of religions.

Answer 4

i dont think many would think that philosophers do not believe in God, though they may think that many philosophers do not follow the known major religions
as to the category to ask a question about Jesus, it would depend on what the question is, are you asking a question about the specifics of a major religion that follows Jesus? or are you asking questions about Jesus's philosophy, or perhaps how the teachings of Jesus relate to philosophy?
religious questions belong in that category, philosophy ones in this, though the two can be very interrelated

Answer 5

I agree with you that this is a popular sentiment among Americans. However I would like to revise your statement a little, I think that a lot of Americans think that people who study philosophy (i.e. philosophy majors) are atheists or anti-theists. They are lumped into a larger group of people who for some reason are believed to be liberal, have anti-democratic tendencies, etc. It does not make any sense to me either but just as philosophers are uncommonly rational, some non-philosophers are uncommonly irrational.

Answer 6

This was actually unheard of to me. Is there a considerable number of people who think that philosophers do not believe in God?
Anyways I think Fred V has given an excellent response.
Just one correction I would like to make is on Socrates and Plato. They were almost definitely not believers of God with capital G that refers to YHWH. Though I think there are good indications that they believed in Greak gods.

Answer 7

I wouldn't think any would think that. If you want an answer about Christ, from a religious view, it makes sense to ask it in said category.