--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable…" description: "\"Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable philosophical position; it is not dogmatic and makes no pronouncements about the ultimate truths of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/sydney-j-harris-1578_agnosticism_agnosticism-is-a-perfectly-respectable-a_2880504.png" --- # Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable… ![“Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable philosophical position; it is not dogmatic and makes no pronouncements about the ultimate truths of the universe. It remains open to evidence and persuasion; lacking faith, it nevertheless does not deride faith. Atheism, on the other hand, is as…” quote by Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/sydney-j-harris-1578_agnosticism_agnosticism-is-a-perfectly-respectable-a_2880504.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/sydney-j-harris-1578_agnosticism_agnosticism-is-a-perfectly-respectable-a_2880504.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ac/sydney-j-harris-1578_agnosticism_agnosticism-is-a-perfectly-respectable-a_2880504.png) > “Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable philosophical position; it is not dogmatic and makes no pronouncements about the ultimate truths of the universe. It remains open to evidence and persuasion; lacking faith, it nevertheless does not deride faith. Atheism, on the other hand, is as unyielding and dogmatic about religious belief as true believers are about heathens. It tries to use reason to demolish a structure that is not built upon reason.” [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Agnosticism holds that ultimate truth is unknown, staying open to evidence without dismissing faith; atheism often adopts a rigid stance against belief. **In simple terms:** Agnosticism is open‑minded; atheism can be dogmatic. Key Takeaway Recognize uncertainty and respect differing views. Themes philosophy religion open‑mindedness Mood thoughtful balanced Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - academic debate - interfaith dialogue - personal belief formation Key Concepts epistemology faith reason Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance doubt and conviction? - When is it appropriate to challenge faith? A Different Perspective Agnosticism may be seen as indecisive; atheism can alienate believers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agnosticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) [Agnosticism Perfectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism-perfectly-3989884/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Demolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demolish/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Dogmatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogmatic/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Faith Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-atheism-2252383/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Heathen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heathen/) [Lacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacking/) [Nevertheless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nevertheless/) [Persuasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persuasion/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-belief/) [Remains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remains/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [True believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-believer/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-truth/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Unyielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unyielding/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [At Oxford University, the certainties of my atheist faith (and atheism is a faith) began to crumble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-e-mcgrath/at-oxford-university-the-certainties-of-my-atheist-faith-and-atheism/) [Alister E. McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-e-mcgrath/) > [Anytime that knowledge and a version of the truth are considered to be absolute, fundamentalism is the result, whether the arena is Christianity, Islam,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anytime-that-knowledge-and-a-version-of-the-truth-are-considered-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We must redefine and come to a consensus on what God (Creator) is and what creation and recreating is. When we do this, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/we-must-redefine-and-come-to-a-consensus-on-what-god-creator-is-and/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [The real heretic is not the atheist or agnostic (who are often decent people) but those who murmur "it doesn't matter what you believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-real-heretic-is-not-the-atheist-or-agnostic-who-are-often-decent/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [We crave a world of either/or, but the Dream says, Both/and. We build a wall between our social persona and our inner selves; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/we-crave-a-world-of-either-or-but-the-dream-says-both-and-we-build-a/) [Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/) > [Some people who meet me might think I starve myself, because there's such an assumption that being thin involves putting yourself through torture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/some-people-who-meet-me-might-think-i-starve-myself-because-there-s/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [Once I am in, I can demolish any side because that is my strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/once-i-am-in-i-can-demolish-any-side-because-that-is-my-strength/) [Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/) > [ In 1982, when Alexander Haig and \[Ariel\] Sharon put this plan to invade the south of Lebanon and Beirut, they imagined that in two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/in-1982-when-alexander-haig-and-ariel-sharon-put-this-plan-to-invade/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [An art form requires genius. People of genius are always troublemakers, meaning they start from scratch, demolish accepted norms and rebuild a new world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-langlois/an-art-form-requires-genius-people-of-genius-are-always-troublemakers/) [Henri Langlois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-langlois/) > [The catastrophist constructs theories, the uniformitarian demolishes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-whewell/the-catastrophist-constructs-theories-the-uniformitarian-demolishes/) [William Whewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-whewell/) > [“Apparently you’re only allowed to demolish Wolverhampton if you’re a property developer like Donald Trump. Crawling eldritch horrors don’t get planning permission unless they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/apparently-you-re-only-allowed-to-demolish-wolverhampton-if-you-re-a/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [What did not demolish me simply polished me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/what-did-not-demolish-me-simply-polished-me/) [India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/) > [We had the city trying to demolish two of our exhibition spaces, which was at first pretty disturbing. But following the freak-out is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsha-kaechele/we-had-the-city-trying-to-demolish-two-of-our-exhibition-spaces-which/) [Kirsha Kaechele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsha-kaechele/) > [We study health, and we deliberate upon our meats and drink and air and exercises, and we hew and we polish every stone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/we-study-health-and-we-deliberate-upon-our-meats-and-drink-and-air/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [The problem was Le Corbusier was a genius and an enormous artist, but he tried to resolve problems to which there is no solution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-krier/the-problem-was-le-corbusier-was-a-genius-and-an-enormous-artist-but/) [Leon Krier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-krier/) ## More by Sydney J. Harris > [This is a lesson mankind has not yet learned. We identify, and stratify, and treat persons largely on the basis of their accidental (physical)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/this-is-a-lesson-mankind-has-not-yet-learned-we-identify-and-stratify/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Character is something you forge for yourself; temperament is something you are born with and can only slightly modify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/character-is-something-you-forge-for-yourself-temperament-is/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Middle Age is that perplexing time of life when we hear two voices calling us, one saying, 'Why not?' and the other, 'Why bother?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/middle-age-is-that-perplexing-time-of-life-when-we-hear-two-voices/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [The profound immoralities of our time are cruelty, indifference, injustice and the use of others as means rather than ends in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-profound-immoralities-of-our-time-are-cruelty-indifference/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Marriages we regard as the happiest are those in which each of the partners believes he or she got the best of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/marriages-we-regard-as-the-happiest-are-those-in-which-each-of-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“...it calls for deciding things on their own merit, not because you read it or were told it or grew up believing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/it-calls-for-deciding-things-on-their-own-merit-not-because-you-read/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Ignorance per se is not nearly as dangerous as ignorance of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/ignorance-per-se-is-not-nearly-as-dangerous-as-ignorance-of-ignorance/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/patriotism-is-proud-of-a-country-s-virtues-and-eager-to-correct-its/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, his is also one who is permanently disappointed in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/a-cynic-is-not-merely-one-who-reads-bitter-lessons-from-the-past-his/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Time is love, above all else. It is the most precious commodity in the world and should be lavished on those we care most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/time-is-love-above-all-else-it-is-the-most-precious-commodity-in-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Just about the only interruption we don't object to is applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/just-about-the-only-interruption-we-don-t-object-to-is-applause/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“The cynic is goodhearted beneath his facade, whereas the sentimentalist is flint-hearted beneath his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-cynic-is-goodhearted-beneath-his-facade-whereas-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Any philosophy that can be put in a nutshell belongs there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/any-philosophy-that-can-be-put-in-a-nutshell-belongs-there/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“Like all persecuted minority groups, they strike back by forming cabals, by “taking over” certain spheres of activity (in the arts, for instance), and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/like-all-persecuted-minority-groups-they-strike-back-by-forming/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Intolerance is the most socially acceptable form of egotism, for it permits us to assume superiority without personal boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/intolerance-is-the-most-socially-acceptable-form-of-egotism-for-it/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) [Explore all 226 Sydney J. Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) ## More Agnosticism quotes > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The prayer of the agnostic: "O God, if there is a God, save my soul if I have a soul."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-renan/the-prayer-of-the-agnostic-o-god-if-there-is-a-god-save-my-soul-if-i/) [Ernest Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-renan/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Agnosticism is the natural attitude of the evolutionist. How can a brute mind comprehend spiritual things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/agnosticism-is-the-natural-attitude-of-the-evolutionist-how-can-a/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Intellect, at its best, can make you agnostic. Being theist or atheist is still a matter of choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/intellect-at-its-best-can-make-you-agnostic-being-theist-or-atheist/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [To be agnostic is to be open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-agnostic-is-to-be-open-minded/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The world is continuous flux and is impermanent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-world-is-continuous-flux-and-is-impermanent/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I'm agnostic. By definition, I'm unsure of what to believe in, but I'm also borderline-capable of believing in anything and everything, or nothing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/i-m-agnostic-by-definition-i-m-unsure-of-what-to-believe-in-but-i-m/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [“The Agnostic is one who asserts 'what no one denies' that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-stephen/the-agnostic-is-one-who-asserts-what-no-one-denies-that-there-are/) [Leslie Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-stephen/) > [I have only a small flickering light to guide me in the darkness of a thick forest. Up comes a theologian and blows it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/i-have-only-a-small-flickering-light-to-guide-me-in-the-darkness-of-a/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [We are enabled to apprehend at all what is sublime and noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-are-enabled-to-apprehend-at-all-what-is-sublime-and-noble-only-by/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“We should be agnostic about those things for which there is no evidence. We should not hold beliefs merely because they gratify our desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-be-agnostic-about-those-things-for-which-there-is-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 275 Agnosticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agnosticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Agnosticism is a perfectly respectable and tenable philosophical position; it is not dogmatic and makes no pronouncements about the ultimate truths of the universe. It remains open to evidence and persuasion; lacking faith, it nevertheless does not deride faith. Atheism, on the other hand, is as unyielding and dogmatic about religious belief as true believers are about heathens. It tries to use reason to demolish a structure that is not built upon reason.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sydney J. 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