I prefer rationalism to atheism. The question of God and other objects-of-faith are outside reason and play no part in rationalism, thus you don't have to waste your time in either attacking or defending.
Interpretation
Rationalism values reason over faith, suggesting that beliefs about God should not distract from logical thinking.
In this quote, Isaac Asimov expresses a preference for rationalism, a worldview grounded in reason and logic, over atheism, which involves the belief that there is no God. He argues that the existence of God and similar faith-based beliefs are outside the realm of reason, implying that they do not deserve debate or conflict. This perspective encourages a focus on rational thought rather than engaging in the contentious discussions surrounding faith.
In practice
In a discussion about the importance of science and reason, one might quote Asimov to emphasize the value of rationalism.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, but it disappears. It doesn't matter if someone dies.
Science does not promise absolute truth, nor does it consider that such a thing necessarily exists. Science does not even promise that everything in the Universe is amenable to the scientific process.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation.
Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.
During the century after Newton, it was still possible for a man of unusual attainments to master all fields of scientific knowledge. But by 1800, this had become entirely impracticable.
Slavery was not a bad day on the job. It was not your boss yelling at you. It was not hard work for little pay. This was a full system of human subjugation.
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
What a thing is and what it means are not separate, the former being physical and the latter mental as we are accustomed to believe.
And if he had judged her harshly? If her life were a simple rosary of hours, her life simple and strange as a bird's life, gay in the morning, restless all day, tired at sundown? Her heart simple and willful as a bird's heart?
Awareness isn’t something we own; awareness isn’t something we possess. Awareness is actually what we are.
All is ephemeral - fame and the famous as well.
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