Brevity Quote by Protagoras
“As touching the gods, I do not know whether they exist or not, nor how they are featured; for there is much to prevent our knowing: the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life.”
About This Quote
Source Dialogue: Sophist, Plato, 5th century BC
Human knowledge of gods is limited by the subject’s obscurity and our brief lives, making certainty impossible.
In simple terms: We can’t fully know the gods.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty about divine matters.
Themes
philosophy
religion
epistemology
human limits
Mood
reflective
humble
Type
philosophical
skeptical
When to use this quote
- personal belief formation
- theological debate
- ethical decision making
- artistic creation
- public policy
Key Concepts
divine existence
knowledge limits
human mortality
uncertainty
Questions to Reflect On
- What does uncertainty teach humility?
- How should societies handle unknowable truths?
A Different Perspective
Some argue faith transcends epistemic limits.
![“Everyone, including the Athenians [...] are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of excellence, or else there can be no city at all.” quote by Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/842/protagoras-29073_accepting_everyone-including-the-athenians-are-rig_379015.jpg)
