Richard Dawkins is Agnostic?!

cedars

Hi everyone

I've just happened upon the following website article featuring an interview between Richard Dawkins and Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. I was surprised to discover that, when asked directly "Why don't you call yourself an agnostic?" he answered that he did.

Here is the article:

http://www.theweek.co.uk/health-science/religion/45552/outspoken-atheist-dawkins-admits-he-agnostic

I don't get too involved with atheism v. theism debates any longer because I personally consider them rather pointless. I'm currently on an extended sabbatical from believing pretty much anything at the moment (including atheism), but I found it interesting that someone I always considered to be a militant atheist has admitted that he is only "6.9 out of 7" sure of his beliefs.

I believe he has just gone up in my estimations.

Cedars

HintOfLime

Ah, those three little words men (and women) hate to admit: "I DON'T KNOW!"

Religion has been pretending to KNOW for eons - stories of men with magical long hair and... people living inside the stomach of fish... global floods...

Sometimes the most refreshing viewpoint is a good, honest "I can't say I am 100% certain of something beyond human ability to perceive."

What is inside the center of the earth? There are simply physical limits to our ability to perceive. Of course, some human disicplines of thought and deduction have a much better track record of success than others when it comes to perception. But I prefer it when a discipline is forthcoming about the statistical likelyhood of their expectations.

- Lime

cyberjesus

FYI Since you dont get into Theism/Atheism debates..... Agnostic is just someone who doesnt know...... Reality is WE ALL ARE agnostics even if we dont admit it..

Someones claim to have knowledge doesnt mean he has it.

Dawkins statement doesnt move him from Atheist ---> Agnostic... those are different things... He still is an atheist... who honestly says there might be a possibility but is very small. The same with most of us Atheists...

Newspapers want to twist his words into something he didnt mean.

NewChapter

Yeah---Dawkins has always held that he allows room for evidence in the matter. He strongly believes that evidence won't be forthcoming, but as is a popular understanding here, you can't prove a negative. So for most purposes he is an atheist---but he accepts that he does not know everything, and he needs to be honest and allow for possiblities. NC

james_woods

I believe the technical issue here is having the honesty to admit that you cannot PROVE the non-existence of a God. Therefore, the term agnostic (even if you are 100% sure in your own reasoning) is more intellectually honest.

This is what I personally maintain. Often, I get beat up by the highly militant atheists over it too.

cedars

james_woods, lol, not a further sub-division! Militant atheists and highly-militant atheists, ouch - my head hurts!

I get what you're all saying, and I find the honesty refreshing.

Cedars

breakfast of champions

I think I am a Pacifist atheist.

I used to HATE Dawkins smugness, until I saw an interview on YouTube where he basically said it takes a lot of humility to say "I don't know"

Have had much more respect since then.

cyberjesus

So if I say that I can not prove the non-existance of Santa Claus that makes me an honest person?

NomadSoul

Agnostic and Atheist are pretty darn close to each other. I think SOME of the Agnostics label themselves that even though they may lean more towards atheism, because the label "Agnostic" appears less negative to believers.

THE GLADIATOR

It is encouraging to see that someone of Richard Dawkin’s stature can be as ambiguous and slippery as a modern Christian. Flexibility and open mindedness avoids digging oneself into a hole. None of us know the whole truth about the origins of the universe.

If science discovers a new dimension that opens a portal to a higher level of understanding, then believers will claim that is what they meant by ‘god.’ Agnostics will also be able to claim victory.

It’s an equitable life and we are all heading for the same place!

Richard Dawkins is Agnostic?!

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