Answer: Critical atheism is the position that theism or belief in gods is irrational and should be rejected by all. Critical atheism is a product of someone making a critical evaluation of theistic claims and arguments then explicitly rejected them because they are insufficiently supported, incoherent, unreasonable, or for some other rational reason.
George H. Smith coined the term critical atheism and while it is sometimes used as a synonym for strong atheism, it is actually a form of explicit atheism that differs from strong atheism. Smith describes a critical atheism that is compatible with weak atheism:
Critical atheism presents itself in various forms. It is often expressed by the statement, "I do not believe in the existence of a god or supernatural being." This profession of nonbelief often derives from the failure of theism to provide sufficient evidence in its favor. Faced with a lack of evidence, this explicit atheist sees no reason whatsoever for believing in a supernatural being.
He also describes a form of critical atheism that is more like strong atheism:
Critical atheism also assumes stronger forms, such as, "God does not exist" or, "The existence of a god is impossible." These assertions are usually made after a particular concept of god, such as the God of Christianity, is judged to be absurd or contradictory. Just as we are entitled to say that a "square-circle" does not and cannot possibly exist, so we are entitled to say that the concept of god, if it entails a contradiction, does not and cannot possibly exist.
There is also a form of critical atheism that is more like noncognitivism:
Finally, there is the critical atheist who refuses to discuss the existence or nonexistence of a god because he believes that the concept of "god" is unintelligible. We cannot, for example, reasonably discuss the existence of an "unie" until we know what an "unie" is. If no intelligible description is forthcoming, the conversation must stop. Likewise, if no intelligible description of "god" is forthcoming, the conversation must stop. This critical atheist thus says, "The word 'god' makes no sense to me, so I have no idea what it means to state that 'god' does or does not exist."
In all cases, what defines critical atheism is a critical, deliberative process â€" it's an atheism based on reasoning, not unfamiliarity with theism and so isn't compatible with implicit atheism. What's more, critical atheism is incompatible with having irrational reasons for atheism. Thus a person who is an atheist because of cultural tradition, because they were told by their parents that they should be, or through flipping a coin cannot be considered a critical atheist.
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