Comments on: Selection bias and atheist stereotypes http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/ In a mad world, all blogging is psychiatry blogging Sat, 25 Jul 2015 00:47:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3 By: von Kalifornen http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-15795 Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:30:29 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-15795 Did gender exist before human society? There does seem to be a proto-gender effect in some higher animals, and I seem to remember hearing something about transexual monkeys or something.

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]]> By: von Kalifornen http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-15794 Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:26:26 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-15794 For most of my lifetime the Pope has not been him.

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]]> By: MugaSofer http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-12057 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:59:50 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-12057 I see plenty of atheists talking about how death isn’t so bad. Y’know, living forever would be boring, we live on in our accomplishments, death gives meaning to life etc etc.

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]]> By: MugaSofer http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-12055 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:56:31 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-12055 “atheists tend to be materialists, and so attach a greater importance to a non-supernatural ideology they might have (nationalism, libertarianism, socialism, For Science!, whatever) … When someone’s worldview simply lacks religion, the sort of feelings and moral emotions that would normally be channelled into religious faith are not, in most cases, expressed through active denial of religion – they are redirected to different areas. They might care more about politics, personal philosophy, tribal loyalty, culture …”

You know, I see religious people make this claim a lot. Has anyone actually tried to check this?

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]]> By: MugaSofer http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-12053 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:51:52 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-12053 “And if gender is just something we do or a social construct how does any of us even know what a “man” or “woman” are supposed to look like?”

That’s kind of a big “if”. Hormones do have physiological effects, you know.

Admittedly, there’s enough variance that we mostly depend on social cues, but still…

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]]> By: MugaSofer http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-12052 Mon, 20 May 2013 20:49:24 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-12052 Actually … kinda.

As always in these matters, we should try and picture the creationist equivalent.

Of course, Dawkins has written more than a one-sentence-long ad campaign.

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]]> By: Dan http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-11025 Thu, 09 May 2013 20:47:07 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-11025 I disagree that most of us don’t know atheists.

I know an atheist intimately, since I am an atheist from time to time. Everyone’s faith ebbs and flows. On days when I’m more atheistic, I’m also more of a jerk and usually in a sour mood.

On days and times when my faith is stronger, I’m more generous and generally happier.

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]]> By: Dan http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-11024 Thu, 09 May 2013 20:37:38 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-11024 I don’t understand how gender can be a social construct since gender existed before human society.

Oh, I see now. Those oppressive, chauvinistic Proterozoic eurkaryotes were the original enforcers of the bigoted patriarchy, when they socially constructed gender for their nefarious purposes 1.2 billion years ago.

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]]> By: Damien http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-10800 Tue, 07 May 2013 21:41:49 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-10800 “One notices that there are no such nice or neutral activities that are inspired by disbelief in UFOs as such.”

“One notices that there are no such nice or neutral activities that are inspired by disbelief in witchcraft as such.”

“One notices that there are no such nice or neutral activities that are inspired by disbelief in astrology as such.”

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]]> By: Damien http://slatestarcodex.com/2013/05/04/selection-bias-and-atheist-stereotypes/#comment-10799 Tue, 07 May 2013 21:38:07 +0000 http://slatestarcodex.com/?p=533#comment-10799 “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” is sanctimonious and contemptible?

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