Agnosticism

[PratchettFan]

This word has been tossed around a lot and I think it deserves its own thread. I am an Agnostic philosophically, as well as a Theist. I don't think the two conflict at all.

I have heard an agnostic just admits we don't really know about God. This is far too simplistic and specific. Agnosticism is a philosophy which acknowledges ignorance. It strives to differentiate between what we know and what we do not know. It does not disdain belief, for that would be to reject human nature, but it does require one acknowledge the difference between belief and knowledge.

So Agnosticism is not just a position of sitting on the fence. It is a mental discipline which requires the individual to weigh each position they take against objective fact. It does not require the individual to fail to take a position in the absence of objective fact, but it does require that person to understand and accept that is what they are doing. And if fact conflicts with belief, anyone following the philosophy of Agnosticism will always accept fact.

 

[alang1216]

I call myself an agnostic because I don't know how the universe was created: was it natural or was it by design. The universe may be eternal and just exists but I like to think maybe, just maybe, there is a reason to its existence.

When it comes to man's religions I'm an atheist. I don't believe in Zeus or Odin or Jesus or Joseph Smith and for the same reason. No convincing evidence for any of them and certainly none that points to one to the exclusion of the others.

 

[NYcarbineer]

I've read of the reference to atheistic agnostics and theistic agnostics,

in the context of making the point that agnosticism is not really some third way between, and distinguishable from, atheism and theism.

I think it's a good point.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Looking into the definitions for atheist, agnostic, theist, etc. I've thrown out the very notion of saying I'm one thing in particular.

I'm a scientist. I want testable data to base my conclusions upon. That's the only label I wear around my neck.

VENKMAN
(to the girl)
All right, miss. Have you or has any member
of your family ever been diagnosed
schizophrenic or mentally incompetent?

LIBRARIAN
Well, my uncle thought he was St. Jerome.

VENKMAN
(looks at Stantz)
I'll call that a big "yes."
(to the girl)
Do you yourself habitually use drugs,
stimulants or alcohol?

LIBRARIAN
No.

VENKMAN
I thought not. And one last thing. Are you
currently menstruating?

HEAD LIBRARIAN
(shocked)
What's that got to do with it?

VENKMAN
(snaps)
Back off, man! I'm a scientist!
http://www.awesomefilm.com/script/Ghostbusters.txt

From then on I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.

 

[Two Thumbs]

I think there's a creator. The idea that we are a series of coincidences is laughable to me.

religion is just a tool to control the masses, none of it's inspired by anything except the desire for control and the power that comes with that control.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I think there's a creator. The idea that we are a series of coincidences is laughable to me.

religion is just a tool to control the masses, none of it's inspired by anything except the desire for control and the power that comes with that control.

I think so too. Something created the Big Bang.

But it's not we're a series of coincidences or lucky breaks as much as the result of the law of large numbers. The old "ask a hundred women for sex and at least 1 will probably say yes." But in our case with literally trillions of stars and even more planets, some are bound to evolve life.