Does it even matter?

Even the word metaphysics sounds a bit lofty.

Depending on who you actually ask, metaphysics is either the noble pursuit of this life’s mysterious deepest truth seeking or intellectual equivalent of shadow boxing with unicorns under the silvery light of the dancing moon!

A developing number of well-educated and articulate atheists have taken a very clear position on metaphysics and that is they don’t like it one bit. And who can blame them as metaphysics is filled with all sorts of existential, cosmological and mumbo jumbo claims!

It’s not just that they are purely sceptical of it all, but they outright dismiss it as useless, pointless self-indulgence and even dangerous, misguided, misleading nonsense including the unproven.

So why is there this tension amongst atheists about metaphysics and why do they avoid diving into the metaphysical enquiry?

Educational Disclaimer: This article discusses sensitive educational concepts and training topics. It is provided by Open College UK Limited for informational purposes only and does not replace any professional or psychological advice.

Firstly, atheists especially in the modern scientific mould anchor their worldview in empiricism which is the belief that knowledge comes from primarily our sensory experience and only observable data. For atheists, metaphysics can’t be tested, measured or replicated and it’s not reliable. Metaphysics however by contrast does ask the questions that are not testable by empirical means.

Such as what is being, what is this, what is the nature of time, what happens at death and so on. For many atheists this is exhausting because it makes metaphysics feel like building castles in the clouds and resting them on top of air.

Through history metaphysics has been deeply mixed with theology along with arguments for metaphysical speculation leads straight into the arms of religion even terms such as essence or soul carry theological heavy baggage for the atheist’s mind to accept.

Amusingly when an atheist hears someone talking about an ultimate reality or the ground of being or the absolute, alarm bells start to ring because to them it smells like theology in a trojan horse.

Next there is the problem of false ability which is the idea that a claim must be testable and capable of being proven to be wrong. So if you can’t prove it wrong then it doesn’t belong in the scientific conversation.

Therefore, metaphysics is full of claims that cannot be falsified.

These statements may be thought provoking and stimulating but they can’t be tested and for many atheists that makes them indistinguishable from superstition or pseudoscience.

In the view of atheist’s, metaphysics is not just unscientific but it’s anti scientific pretending to offer a truth without playing by the rules of testable evidence. To them, metaphysics is just like arguing about whether chairs exist as objects-in-themselves while at the same time the house is on fire.

Another good reason atheists may frown at metaphysics is that it can appear to mimic the structure of religious thinking which is also hated by many atheists! Again, profound certainty without any significance or sufficient grounding.

Whilst many metaphysicians are very careful and rigorous. The field has no shortage of loud and bold proclamations about the nature of reality.

To be fair there are many atheists that don’t throw metaphysics out of the window. Many well-known philosophers deeply engaged in metaphysical exploration but they approached it analytically rather than mystically. And they kept their studies logical and sceptical and weren’t so much interested in ultimate realities or cosmic oneness but in clear definitions, categories and logical relationships with observable testable data.

But could atheists be wrong?

We could all be wrong, what does anyone really know other than what our intellect and ego tell us!

Let’s flip the lens a bit!

The simple rejection of metaphysics, the simple dismissing as woo woo nonsense can itself become a kind of unexamined metaphysics, a default assumption that only the physical and the measurable are the real things in this universe and that consciousness is a side effect and that meaning is always human made and never discovered.

Many atheists do dismiss metaphysics while standing firmly on only one version of metaphysics as there are many angles or stances to view it often overlooked.

So, why don’t many atheists actually like metaphysics? To put it simply, it’s because it’s too messy and too speculative and it’s actually haunted by religion. It breaks all the rules of evidence and science and it pretends to describe ultimate things with finite minds and that drives intellectual academic atheists nuts.

Disclaimer & Terms

The educational content on this website—including articles, posts, and comments by Open College UK Limited—is for informational purposes only. It reflects research and insights at the time of writing. Nothing on this site constitutes medical, psychological, or legal advice.

Always consult a qualified professional (such as a GP, doctor, or psychologist) before changing any health regimen or medication.

Content is intended to raise awareness and promote independent thought, not to defame, target, or offend any individual or group. Any reliance on this content is at the reader’s own risk. While we strive for high quality, readers should verify information against their own context and local regulations.

Copyright: All content is owned by Open College UK Limited. Sharing links to this post is welcome, but reproduction without written consent is prohibited.