Agnosticism

As agnosticism (formed from the ancient Greek verb ἀγνοεῖν a- gnoein " do not know " ) refers to the philosophical view that certain assumptions - particularly those theological nature, which relate to the existence or non- existence of a higher authority, such as a God, - either unclear or are not in principle be clarified.

Survey

Agnosticism is a philosophy that emphasizes in particular the fundamental limitations of human knowledge. The possibility of the existence of transcendental beings or principles is not disputed. Agnosticism is compatible with both theism and atheism with because of the belief in God is possible, even if one denies the possibility of certainty about its existence. The question " Is there a God? " Agnostic answer accordingly not "Yes" or "No", but with " I do not know ", " It is not clear ", " It is not answerable " or "It's not relevant ".

History

The term agnosticism was significantly influenced by Thomas Henry Huxley ( 1825-1895 ). Although it is still a new concept formation, the underlying conception is much older and can be found among others in the Rigveda, in Lao Tzu ( Chinese philosopher in the 6th century BC ) and in some sophists and other Greek pre-Socratic philosophers.

As early as the 5th century BC, Protagoras said, one of the pre-Socratic philosophers of ancient Greece sophists, his agnostic position with the words:

" About the gods, however, I have no way of knowing neither that they are nor that they are not, yet, as they are about to take shape; because much of it is what prevents the knowledge: imperceptibility and that the life of man is short. "

In the 18th and 19th century, the philosopher David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Søren Kierkegaard put is critical counter- positions to the different proofs of God, in which they carried out their doubts that there could be a definitive, unassailable evidence for or against the existence of God. The American orator Robert G. Ingersoll is known because of its well-formulated texts on the subject as the "Great Agnostic ", the "Great Agnostic ".

In the 20th century is Bertrand Russell's religion critical essay Why I Am Not a Christian (1927 ) as a classic document of agnosticism. A later writing the same author called Am I an Atheist or Agnostic on? ( "Am I an atheist or agnostic ?").

Variants of agnosticism

Agnosticism and Theism

In principle, agnosticism and theism are compatible with each other, because you can believe in one God, without his existence for to keep backed up ( Epistemic logic, such as faith as " For probably -hold ").

In practice, however, many are agnostic faith in ( concrete ) deities critically. The proofs of theism (eg, in Judaism, Christianity or Islam), the revelation knowledge and traditional religions in miracles and other arguments put forward for the existence of higher beings keep in the judgment of the agnostic science review was not. A God theory is not falsifiable, in the eyes of many agnostics applies due to the lack of falsifiability as unscientific, as in the analogy of " Russell's Teapot " is clarified. Firstly, this says nothing about their truth. However, it should be avoided by the rule of thought known as Occam's razor, since it is an unnecessarily complicated explanation. Many agnostics reject particular from anthropomorphic conceptions of God, because they seem too specific to human culture and imagination this.

A form of theism that is accepted by some directions of agnosticism, pantheism is that identifies the world, nature and the universe as a "divine" without postulating beyond deities. Some philosophers such as Schopenhauer, pantheism, however, referred to merely as subtle atheism.

Agnosticism and Atheism

Occasionally, agnosticism is falsely equated with atheism. However, there are two different things. When it comes to the principle of agnosticism (im) possibility of final certainty anbetrachts certain issues (eg, that the existence of God ), while atheism contrast to the actual belief in the non-existence of God. Hence agnosticism is primarily a philosophical point of view, while atheism, especially as a counterpoint looks to theism.

Among the non - theistic agnostics one finds two settings to atheism:

• The rejection of both the (strong) atheism and theism. Given the limitations of human knowledge about the universe and the limits of our imagination, it is just as irrational to adopt a 'blanket belief in the non-existence " as a specific or vague, belief in the existence of a god. From representatives of this position is emphasized that it is fundamentally unnecessary to - set to a " faith position " on the issue - for example by means of an assessment of probabilities or because of a philosophical worldview.

• The synthesis of agnosticism and ( weak ) atheism. This will, depending on the perspective, called agnostic atheism atheist or agnostic - rules the ranking of concepts disagreement. In this position, the view is held that the existence of God is unknown, but on the basis of Occam's razor, the non- existence is plausible.

Extended use of the term

The term agnosticism comes in a wider sense except in theological also common in metaphysical or epistemological contexts for use, for example in relation to the question of whether there is life after death or reincarnation. Here, too, an agnostic position be taken, which admits the uncertainty or stressed.

Rarely, the term agnosticism is used synonymously with skepticism to denote epistemological doctrines that cast doubt on the knowability of the world as a whole or in key areas.

Criticism

A fundamental criticism of agnosticism exercise the Natural Theology. This asserts that one can prove alone with the means of human reason without recourse to divine revelation that God exists. Thomas Aquinas devoted agnosticism ( without defining this term to use ) in his summa contra gentiles chapter 12 of the first book. In it, he comes to the conclusion that although they could not prove what God is, but very well that God exists. This position was later by many philosophers - including Kant - is discarded because the existence of God (as many other existence assertions as well) let neither verify nor falsify.

For Joseph Ratzinger ( Pope Emeritus ) a agnosticism is only a theoretical but not a practical option: " As a pure theory it seems highly plausible, but agnosticism is essentially more than theory - the practice of life stands on the issue. And where you try " practicing " him in this his true range, he slips away like a bubble, it dissolves, because the choice is not to escape, he just wants to avoid Before the question of God to man is not neutrality. granted. He can only say yes or no and this each with all the consequences in the smallest things in life into it. "

Also part of certain scientists agnosticism is criticized. So says the British biologist and atheist Richard Dawkins in his book The God Delusion that " a certain agnosticism [ although the ] appropriate stance on many scientific questions " is, but this is not God of the case, as the existence or non - existence of God not equally probable options are. He describes himself as a " de facto atheist ": he considered the existence of a god is very unlikely and lead his life under the assumption that it will not give him - a procedure in which he attested to the people in general. So we would tend to in everyday life, about things the existence of which we considered strictly could never be completely ruled out, such as the Tooth Fairy, Russell's Teapot or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, so to speak, as they did not exist.