Smith, cont'd
Atheism may be divided into two broad categories: implicit and explicit. (a) Implicit atheism is the absence of theistic belief without a conscious rejection of it. (b) Explicit atheism is the absence of theistic belief due to a conscious rejection of it. {Daffodil's note: Smith uses these terms instead of "soft" or "weak" atheism and "hard" or "strong" atheism.}
(a) An implicit atheist is a person who does not believe in a god, but who has not explicitly rejected or denied the truth of theism. Implicit atheism does not require familiarity with the idea of a god.
... As defined in this chapter, the man who is unacquainted with theism is an atheist because he does not believe in a god. This category would also include the child with the conceptual capacity to grasp the issues involved, but who is still unaware of those issues. The fact that this child does not believe in god qualifies him as an atheist. Since these instances of nonbelief are not the result of conscious rejection, they are best designated as implicit atheism.
...The category of implicit atheism also applies to the person who is familiar with theistic beliefs and does not assent to them, but who has not explicitly rejected belief in a god. By refusing to commit himself, this person may be undecided or indifferent, but the fact remains that he does not believe in a god. Therefore, he is also an implicit atheist.
Implicit atheism is conveniently ignored by those theists {Daffodil's note: and atheists} who represent atheism as a positive belief rather than the absence of belief.
...(b) An explicit atheist is one who rejects belief in a god. This deliberate rejection of theism presupposes familiarity with theistic beliefs and is sometimes characterized as anti-theism.
... Atheism is not the absence of belief in god plus certain positive beliefs: atheism is the absence of belief in god.
(a) An implicit atheist is a person who does not believe in a god, but who has not explicitly rejected or denied the truth of theism. Implicit atheism does not require familiarity with the idea of a god.
... As defined in this chapter, the man who is unacquainted with theism is an atheist because he does not believe in a god. This category would also include the child with the conceptual capacity to grasp the issues involved, but who is still unaware of those issues. The fact that this child does not believe in god qualifies him as an atheist. Since these instances of nonbelief are not the result of conscious rejection, they are best designated as implicit atheism.
...The category of implicit atheism also applies to the person who is familiar with theistic beliefs and does not assent to them, but who has not explicitly rejected belief in a god. By refusing to commit himself, this person may be undecided or indifferent, but the fact remains that he does not believe in a god. Therefore, he is also an implicit atheist.
Implicit atheism is conveniently ignored by those theists {Daffodil's note: and atheists} who represent atheism as a positive belief rather than the absence of belief.
...(b) An explicit atheist is one who rejects belief in a god. This deliberate rejection of theism presupposes familiarity with theistic beliefs and is sometimes characterized as anti-theism.
... Atheism is not the absence of belief in god plus certain positive beliefs: atheism is the absence of belief in god.
Point made.
There is a slightly pedantic difference between "implicit/explicit" and "soft/hard" atheism - Smith's terms imply that one may not be an implicit atheist if one has previously believed in god for whatever reason and then quit due to critical thinking and the realisation that it doesn't make sense. Soft atheism does not hold this implication, it simply requires nonbelief in god, without belief in some sort of statement like "god does not exist." Aside from this difference, the different pairs of terms mean essentially the same thing.
