The Origins of Agnosticism


Book Description

Originally published in 1987. The Origins of Agnosticism provides a reinterpretation of agnosticism and its relationship to science. Professor Lightman examines the epistemological basis of agnostics' learned ignorance, studying their core claim that "God is unknowable." To address this question, he reconstructs the theory of knowledge posited by Thomas Henry Huxley and his network of agnostics. In doing so, Lightman argues that agnosticism was constructed on an epistemological foundation laid by Christian thought. In addition to undermining the continuity in the intellectual history of religious thought, Lightman exposes the religious origins of agnosticism.




Agnosticism: A Very Short Introduction


Book Description

What is agnosticism? Is it just the 'don't know' position on God, or is there more to it than this? Is it a belief, or merely the absence of belief? Who were the first to call themselves 'agnostics'? These are just some of the questions that Robin Le Poidevin considers in this Very Short Introduction. He sets the philosophical case for agnosticism and explores it as a historical and cultural phenomenon. What emerges is a much more sophisticated, and much more interesting, attitude than a simple failure to either commit to, or reject, religious belief. Le Poidevin challenges some preconceptions and assumptions among both believers and non-atheists, and invites the reader to rethink their own position on the issues. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.




Atheism and Agnosticism


Book Description

An overview essay and approximately 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries explore the background and significance of atheism and agnosticism in modern society. This is the age of atheism and agnosticism. The number of people living without religious belief and practice is quickly and dramatically rising. Some experts call nonreligion, after Christianity and Islam, the third largest "religion" in the world today. Understanding the origins, history, variations, and impact of atheism and agnosticism is crucial to getting a grasp of the meaning of the present and gaining a glimpse of the future. Exploring some of the most extraordinary people, events, and ideas of all time, this book provides a fair, comprehensive, and engaging survey of all aspects of contemporary atheism and agnosticism. An overview essay discusses the background and social and political contexts of unbelief, while a timeline highlights key events. Some 50 alphabetically arranged reference entries follow, with each providing fundamental, objective information about particular topics along with cross-references and suggestions for further reading. The volume closes with an annotated bibliography of the most important resources on atheism and agnosticism.




Spiritual Envy


Book Description

Krasny brings his wide-ranging knowledge and perceptive intelligence to a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of belief--and lack of belief. He helps believers and nonbelievers alike understand their own questions about faith and religion. Personal and universal, timely and timeless, this is a deeply wise yet warmly welcoming conversation, an invitation to ask one's own questions--no matter how inconclusive the answers.




Why I Am an Agnostic


Book Description

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




To Be an Agnostic


Book Description

To Be an Agnostic Seeking knowledge, truth and wisdom through the philosophy of agnosticism Chicago Todays America seems to split in two opposing parties: those who feel religion is under attack, and those who feel religion is unjustly pushing itself into secular life. While many books exist that either promote or bash religion, few book explore religion and spirituality from a neutral, agnostic standpoint. Author James Kirk Wall, an agnostic himself, set out to fill this void with his new book, To Be an Agnostic. To Be an Agnostic neither endorses nor opposes religion. Rather, Mr. Wall takes his readers on a journey of intellectual exploration, using both ancient and modern philosophers to explain the greater meaning of life. The book teaches: an agnostic approach to problem solving solid foundations of learning and obtaining knowledge argumentation techniques decision making skills religious tolerance how to face the issue of death and dying promoting opportunity, freedom and justice Ultimately, this book promotes simplicity as the essence of truth, says author James Wall. Morality and ethics are regarded above all else. We must know what is good, promote what is good, and defend what is good. To Be an Agnostic includes insight and words of wisdom from great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle and Socrates, Eastern philosophers Confucius and Lao Tzu, Americas Founding Fathers, U.S. presidents, military commanders, religious figures, activists, celebrities, heroes and well-known agnostic thinkers such as Thomas Huxley. Without attacking or dismissing religion or faith, the book frames agnosticism as a modern bridge between religion and atheism. Readers, whether religious or not, will enjoy the opportunity to expand their horizons and increase their understanding of alternate viewpoints as it relates to matters of faith or lack thereof.




An Agnostic Defends God


Book Description

This book contains a unique perspective: that of a scientifically and philosophically educated agnostic who thinks there is impressive—if maddeningly hidden—evidence for the existence of God. Science and philosophy may have revealed the poverty of the familiar sources of evidence, but they generate their own partial defense of theism. Bryan Frances, a philosopher with a graduate degree in physics, judges the standard evidence for God’s existence to be awful. And yet, like many others with similar scientific and philosophical backgrounds, he argues that the usual reasons for atheism, such as the existence of suffering and success of science, are weak. In this book you will learn why so many people with scientific and philosophical credentials are agnostics (rather than atheists) despite judging all the usual evidence for theism to be fatally flawed.




The Problem with God


Book Description

Whether people praise, worship, criticize, or reject God, they all presuppose at least a rough notion of what it means to talk about God. Turning the certainty of this assumption on its head, a respected educator and humanist shows that when we talk about God, we are in fact talking about nothing at all—there is literally no such idea—and so all of the arguments we hear from atheists, true believers, and agnostics are and will always be empty and self-defeating. Peter J. Steinberger's commonsense account is by no means disheartening or upsetting, leaving readers without anything meaningful to hold on to. To the contrary, he demonstrates how impossible it is for the common world of ordinary experience to be all there is. With patience, clarity, and good humor, Steinberger helps readers think critically and constructively about various presuppositions and modes of being in the world. By coming to grips with our own deep-seated beliefs, we can understand how traditional ways asserting, denying, or even just wondering about God's existence prevent us from seeing the truth—which, it turns out, is far more interesting and encouraging than anyone would have thought.




Agnosticism and Christianity


Book Description

"The people who call themselves "agnostics" have been charged with doing so because they have not the courage to declare themselves "infidels". It has been insinuated that they have adopted a new name in order to escape the unpleasantness which attaches to their proper denomination..."







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