--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: About the gods I have no means of knowing…" description: "\"About the gods I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist or what they are to look at. Many things prevent my knowing...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/protagoras-29073_exist_about-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowin_638240.jpg" --- # About the gods I have no means of knowing either that they… ![“About the gods I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist or what they are to look at. Many things prevent my knowing. Among others, the fact that they are never seen.” quote by Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/protagoras-29073_exist_about-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowin_638240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/protagoras-29073_exist_about-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowin_638240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/protagoras-29073_exist_about-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowin_638240.jpg) > “About the gods I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist or what they are to look at. Many things prevent my knowing. Among others, the fact that they are never seen.” [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We cannot know the existence or nature of gods because they are unseen and beyond our epistemic reach. **In simple terms:** Gods are unknowable due to lack of evidence. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty about divine matters. Themes epistemology theology skepticism Mood contemplative curious Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - philosophical debates - religious discussions - personal belief formation Key Concepts agnosticism metaphysics limits of perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle uncertainty about unseen forces? - Can lack of evidence be a reason for belief? A Different Perspective Our senses and concepts may never capture divine reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods/) [Gods Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-means-1427304/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspirational life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-life/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Knowing Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-exist-2219563/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) ## Related quotes > [As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/as-to-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist-or/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist, nor what sort of form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/concerning-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [As to gods, I have no way of knowing either that they exist or do not exist, or what they are like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/as-to-gods-i-have-no-way-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist-or-do-not/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Understand that living in Gods will often means I must make decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/understand-that-living-in-gods-will-often-means-i-must-make-decisions/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The triumph of the philosophy of Atheism is to free man from the nightmare of gods; it means the dissolution of the phantoms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-triumph-of-the-philosophy-of-atheism-is-to-free-man-from-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist. For many are the obstacles that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/as-to-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist-or-2/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [None of us knows anything, not even whether we know or do not know, nor do we know whether not knowing and knowing exist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metrodorus-of-chios/none-of-us-knows-anything-not-even-whether-we-know-or-do-not-know-nor/) [Metrodorus of Chios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metrodorus-of-chios/) > [“Simply knowing you exist, ain't good enough for me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-nash/simply-knowing-you-exist-ain-t-good-enough-for-me/) [Kate Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-nash/) > [“By knowing what exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void. People in this world look at things mistakenly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/by-knowing-what-exist-you-can-know-that-which-does-not-exist-that-is/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [Just knowing you exist changed the world for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/just-knowing-you-exist-changed-the-world-for-me/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“To live in this body and not know myself is like living in the presence of God and not knowing that he exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-q-bertone/to-live-in-this-body-and-not-know-myself-is-like-living-in-the/) [Angela Q. Bertone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-q-bertone/) > [“What I call the void is where nothing exists. It is about things outside man's knowledge. Of course the void does not exist. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miyamoto-musashi/what-i-call-the-void-is-where-nothing-exists-it-is-about-things/) [Miyamoto Musashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miyamoto-musashi/) > [The discovery of God begins at understanding that He ought to exist, and ends at knowing how He could exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-discovery-of-god-begins-at-understanding-that-he-ought-to-exist/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [I think that when you don't see the boundaries, you cross them without even knowing they exist in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/i-think-that-when-you-don-t-see-the-boundaries-you-cross-them-without/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [The gods, if they exist, are just the people who happen to live on the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/the-gods-if-they-exist-are-just-the-people-who-happen-to-live-on-the/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) ## More by Protagoras > [ Everyone, including the Athenians \[...\] are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/everyone-including-the-athenians-are-right-to-accept-advice-from/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/as-to-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist-or/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or that they do not exist, nor what sort of form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/concerning-the-gods-i-have-no-means-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [There are intelligible principles inherent in the matter of every phenomenon; because matter is essentially the sum of all the seemings that it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/there-are-intelligible-principles-inherent-in-the-matter-of-every/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Man is the measure of all things, of things that are that they are, and of things that are not that they are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/man-is-the-measure-of-all-things-of-things-that-are-that-they-are-and/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [The Athenians are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of excellence, or else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/the-athenians-are-right-to-accept-advice-from-anyone-since-it-is/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Many things prevent knowledge, including the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/many-things-prevent-knowledge-including-the-obscurity-of-the-subject/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [No intelligent man believes that anybody ever willingly errs or willingly does base and evil deeds; they are well aware that all who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/no-intelligent-man-believes-that-anybody-ever-willingly-errs-or/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Man is the measure of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/man-is-the-measure-of-all-things/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [As to gods, I have no way of knowing either that they exist or do not exist, or what they are like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/as-to-gods-i-have-no-way-of-knowing-either-that-they-exist-or-do-not/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [When it comes to consideration of how to do well in running the city, which must proceed entirely through justice and soundness of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/when-it-comes-to-consideration-of-how-to-do-well-in-running-the-city/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/as-touching-the-gods-i-do-not-know-whether-they-exist-or-not-nor-how/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [There are two sides to every question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/there-are-two-sides-to-every-question/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [Let us hold our discussion together in our own persons, making trial of the truth and of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/let-us-hold-our-discussion-together-in-our-own-persons-making-trial/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) > [“Man is the measure of all things of things that are, that they are, of things are not, that they are not”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/man-is-the-measure-of-all-things-of-things-that-are-that-they-are-of/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) [Explore all 18 Protagoras quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) ## More Exist quotes > [A vacuum can only exist, I imagine, by the things which enclose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-fitzgerald/a-vacuum-can-only-exist-i-imagine-by-the-things-which-enclose-it/) [Zelda Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-fitzgerald/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't believe in moral victories. I don't think in pro ball they exist, and they shouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/i-don-t-believe-in-moral-victories-i-don-t-think-in-pro-ball-they/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Must a people disappear for us to know they exist? Mano Dayak”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mano-dayak/must-a-people-disappear-for-us-to-know-they-exist-mano-dayak/) [Mano Dayak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mano-dayak/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“And then again, maybe people and things are the same as emotions: Even when you can't see them or feel them or be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-henriquez/and-then-again-maybe-people-and-things-are-the-same-as-emotions-even/) [Cristina Henriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-henriquez/) > [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [“Human race had never planned to show up in this universe. I wonder whether current human efforts are relevant to its sustainability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/human-race-had-never-planned-to-show-up-in-this-universe-i-wonder/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. 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