Welcome to the Tuesday edition of the Street Prophets Coffee Hour, an open thread conveniently located at the intersection of Religion and Politics. Today’s topic is agnosticism.
Agnosticism is the belief that the existence or non-existence of deities is currently unknown or unknowable. The term “agnosticism” was first used by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869 to describe the idea that metaphysical ideas can be neither proved nor disproved. With regard to Huxley’s view, religious studies professor Van Harvey, in his entry in The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief, writes:
“It is, as far as he makes clear, a commitment to a principle or method, a method that may be stated both positively and negatively. Positively, it means that we should follow our reason as far as it will take us in all matters of the intellect without regard to any other considerations. Negatively, it means that in matters of the intellect we should not pretend that conclusions that are neither demonstrated nor demonstrable are certain.”
Agnosticism is sometimes seen as a form of skepticism, especially with regard to theism. Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), in an article republished in The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever, writes:
“The Agnostic is one who asserts—what no one denies—that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”
According to Stephen:
“…that natural man can know nothing of the Divine nature.”
In his entry on agnosticism in The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief, philosophy professor Aaron Holland writes:
“According to agnosticism, the existence of God is unknowable, either because this metaphysical claim lies beyond the reach of human cognitive facilities, or because neither the evidence for nor the evidence against the existence of God is epistemically superior. For these reasons, agnosticism normally involves a suspension of belief concerning God’s existence as well.”
There several different kinds of agnostics. The weakest form of agnosticism is simply a profession personal ignorance with respect to the claims of the existence of a god. A stronger form of agnosticism claims that the existence of a god is unknowable. Aaron Holland writes:
“According to the parity agnostic, the evidence for and against God’s existence is sufficiently balanced such that neither belief nor disbelief is epistemically preferable.”
There are also some agnostics, known as sans-evidence agnostics, who feel that there is no evidence for as well as no evidence against the existence of god.
Some agnostics focus on the unknowability of the metaphysical claims for a god, but at the same time feel that both belief and disbelief are permissible. During the nineteenth century, some Protestant theologians—Friedrich Schleirmacher, Albrecht Ritschi, and Bishop Henry Mansel—who felt that the divine was unknowable. They argued that Christian theology was not a science, but rather a description of religious feelings.
Open Thread
Whether you believe in agnosticism or not, feel free to leave comments.