Why I am an Agnostic Robin Le Poidevin, University of Leeds

Event details

Royal Institute of Philosophy Lecture

If you are not a believer, why be agnostic rather than an atheist? Agnosticism has tended to get a bad press from believers and atheists alike, and can seem a rather unsatisfactory, hedging-your-bets kind of position, suggesting no particular form of action except detachment. But in fact, agnosticism is a challenging and interesting position, and need not result in lack of engagement with religion.

We look at what are often seen as stumbling blocks to agnosticism, including the ‘presumption of atheism’. We also look at the effect Pascal’s Wager might have on the agnostic, and finally consider what role fiction might play in a positive, though agnostic, engagement with religious thought, language and practice.

Warning: the speaker may also inflict a few autobiographical remarks on the audience on the course of the lecture!

About the speaker