Are agnostics free to admit the limits of human understanding in a way that theists or atheists are not?

Question

Sorry, too many good answers here. I'll have to put it to a vote. Thanks.

Answer 1

Of course not... *ALL* reasonable people have a degree of agnosticism in their beliefs... An Agnostic just takes it takes it to an overriding, cop-out level and applies it with no logical consistency. ... Most agnostics will say:
- there's no Santa; but balk with 'God'
- there's no Ra; but balk with 'God'
- there's no FSM; but balk with 'God'
- there's no gnomes; but balk with 'God'
- there's no bent spoons; but balk with 'God'

WHERE DID YOUR REASONING GO, Agnostics? ... Get off the pot and think and reason like *you normally do*!

YOU ARE VERY MUCH *NOT* "free to admit the limits of human understanding" like those who apply logic & reason.

Answer 2

That's a good question.

"Gnostics" believe that they can have direct knowledge and understanding of God, personal and through their own experiences. So "a-gnostics" believe that they can't have that knowledge or experience. That doesn't mean they don't believe in God, it just means that they believe (like you say) that human understanding is limited and we can't know about God.

But nowadays people use the term "agnostic" to mean that they don't know whether or not there is a God. They don't use it to mean that they CAN'T know. Not knowing something now is different than believeing there is a limit to human understanding.

So I'm not sure...

On the other hand, there are many theists who believe there is a limit of human understanding too. This is a component of most major religions. (ie Christians accepting things they can't understand about God's ways, Kabbalah in Judaism seeks to learn more and push the limits but never claims full knowledge of God) and some major religions are not theists or atheists or agnostics (Buddhists, for example).

I think atheists are pretty confident that through human understanding we can gain knowledge of just about anything though I'm sure there are some who disagree.

Answer 3

We put limits to our understanding... we do not "have" limits... I don't think so, I don't want so.
To answer your question, I'd say no and no.
Our take on religion should have no bearing on the limits of our understanding. Close minded people, religious or not, OCD or not, limit their understanding more so than open-minded people regardless.
You must also consider the level of education of each person and their scope. People who read more about different topics tend to understand better other points of view.
Then of course, there are lots of other variables you can put into play... but my answer... still... NO

Answer 4

No.
Most agnostics I've talked with simply make an exception in the sole instance regarding the existence of god, and refuse to choose.
If presented with the same lack of evidence regarding anything else under discussion, I have no doubt that agnostics would readily, and correctly, say firmly that (fill in the blank) does not exist.
It's only the subject of god in which they refuse to maintain their reason.

Answer 5

Why does everyone assume that atheism and agnosticism (or theism and agnosticism, for that matter) are mutually exclusive?

They are philosophically different viewpoints, dealing with two very different things: knowledge and belief. I am both agnostic AND an atheist. It is not possible to know whether something supernatural like a god exists; I personally believe one does not.

Agnosticism is not atheism's insecure little brother. It merely deals with something other than theism/atheism. Knowledge and belief are not the same thing.

Answer 6

I was agnostic for years, but finally realized that in the case of Christianity, it was a rather silly position. I'm not agnostic about fairies or that thing that just might be under my bed. I have enough certainty that they are simply to unlikely to spend a scintilla of effort on considering them. It would, in fact be a potently unhealthy use of time, leading to maladaptive behaviors.

God is simply to unbelievable a proposition to spend more time considering him.

Answer 7

Not really! I don't know of any Atheist that pretends to have a grasp on perfect knowledge of everything. They admit we don't know a great many things and human knowledge is limited.

The definition of Atheist that most Atheists I know use, is that of "weak Atheism" - which means, the chances that a god exists are so small that I'm going to think of him as though he doesn't exist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_and_strong_atheism

Answer 8

Everything is revealed by God,at his choosing. Man has unlimited understanding through the spirit of God. Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven....the kingdom is in the Christians.God gives unlimited possibilities if we trust and believe. Faith is the key that unlocks the door. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Everything we do for the kingdom is orchestrated by God. God is magnificent in his ways of choosing things..often he does the power of one : Moses,Jeremiah,John the baptist,David with Goliath,Jona,Ester the queen,Gideon,Paul when he Saul. among others. God does not look on the outside as man does he looks at the heart! It is a God given desire to serve him...God implants himself in us,his spirit-to do and to have everything he plans to be. For us and for another.

Answer 9

Everyone in America is free to express his/her philosophical beliefs. It's guaranteed to us by the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.

Answer 10

they embody the limits of human understanding by identifying as a limited human!