Agnosticism is the philosophical antithesis of Christianity and Judaism, as it denies the existence of a God, or gods, and suggests that belief in a God is unhelpful or even damaging to human reason and personal well-being. It is regarded by its many critics as a form of mysticism, and in particular, a form of Platonism, but it has also been claimed that its concepts can be extended to aspects of science and religion, in particular as regards religious experience. In this article, we will explore some of the most interesting aspects of agnosticism – what it is, where it comes from, and how it differs from the others.
Agnosticism is a philosophical word used by Roman Naturalist primatologist Seneca in the second century BCE. According to him, “nothing certain passes away without leaving a trace behind” and therefore all knowledge is transitory. Agnostics are thus people who hold a variety of beliefs concerning God and the truth of life and the world, but hold differing opinions regarding what those beliefs are.
The first argument concerning agnosticism is that it can be used to describe any belief which differs from the more common ones. For example, it can be used to describe the rejection of modern art, or of particular religious groups. This suggests that Agnosticism is more than just a philosophical term; it is a way of life, which has a number of important philosophical underpinnings. In other words, Agnosticism can be seen as an important step on the road to philosophy itself.