Skip to content

Agnostic Quote by Gordon Stein

“Obviously, if theism is a belief in a God and atheism is a lack of a belief in a God, no third position or middle ground is possible. A person can either believe or not believe in a God. Therefore, our previous definition of atheism has made an impossibility out of the common usage of agnosticism…” quote by Gordon Stein
Download Open image
““Obviously, if theism is a belief in a God and atheism is a lack of a belief in a God, no third position or middle ground is possible. A person can either believe or not believe in a God. Therefore, our previous definition of atheism has made an impossibility out of the common usage of agnosticism to mean 'neither affirming nor denying a belief in God.' Actually, this is no great loss, because the dictionary definition of agnostic is still again different from Huxley ’s definition. The literal meaning of agnostic is one who holds that some aspect of reality is unknowable. Therefore, an agnostic is not simply someone who suspends judgment on an issue, but rather one who suspends judgment because he feels that the subject is unknowable and therefore no judgment can be made. It is possible, therefore, for someone not to believe in a God (as Huxley did not) and yet still suspend judgment (ie, be an agnostic) about whether it is possible to obtain knowledge of a God. Such a person would be an atheistic agnostic. It is also possible to believe in the existence of a force behind the universe, but to hold (as did Herbert Spencer ) that any knowledge of that force was unobtainable. Such a person would be a theistic agnostic.””

Gordon Stein

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Atheist's Dilemma, Gordon Stein, 1993

Agnosticism means suspending judgment because the truth is unknowable, not merely being undecided.

In simple terms: Agnosticism is about unknowability, not indecision.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the nuance between belief, disbelief, and epistemic limits.

Themes

philosophy religion epistemology belief knowledge

Mood

thoughtful analytical inquisitive

Type

philosophical explanatory

When to use this quote

  • academic debate
  • personal belief formation
  • interfaith dialogue
  • educational curricula

Key Concepts

agnosticism atheism theism epistemic humility

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does recognizing unknowability affect your stance on religious claims?
  • Can one hold moral values without epistemic certainty?
A Different Perspective

Agnostic positions can be mischaracterized as indecisiveness, limiting nuanced discussion.

2.5 out of 5 (8 ratings)

More by Gordon Stein

Explore all 8 Gordon Stein quotes

More Agnostic quotes

Browse all 446 Agnostic quotes