Atheism

Atheism, defined as a philosophical view, is the position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods^[1] or rejects theism.^[2] In its broadest definition, atheism is the absence of belief in deities, sometimes called nontheism.^[3] Although atheists are commonly assumed to be irreligious, some religions, such as Buddhism, have been characterized as atheistic.^[4][5]

Many self-described atheists share common skeptical concerns regarding supernatural claims, citing a lack of empirical evidence for the existence of deities. Other arguments for atheism are philosophical, social or historical. Although many self-described atheists tend toward secular philosophies such as humanism,^[6] rationalism, and naturalism,^[7] there is no one ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.^[8]

The term atheism originated as a pejorative epithet applied to any person or belief in conflict with established religion. With the spread of freethought, scientific skepticism, and criticism of religion, the term began to gather a more specific meaning and was sometimes used as a self-description by atheists.