Can an Agnostic be a Secular Humanist?

GregW

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Thu Aug-28-03 11:45 AM
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Can an Agnostic be a Secular Humanist?

Agnostics say it is impossible to know the truth in matters such as God ... Secular Humanists have a conviction that dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith.

Are these two mutually exclusive? Reason I ask is that I consider myself an agnostic, yet the idea of secular humanism also appeals to me.

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Stevendsmith

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Thu Aug-28-03 11:49 AM
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1. I'd suggest you not worry about catagorizing yourself

I consider myself an agnostic and a secular humanist. There is no conflict.

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JanMichael

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Thu Aug-28-03 11:53 AM
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2. Yes.

By acknowledging that one can't possible Know absolutely, the Agnostic can certainly accept that Humankind is responsible for itself.

Remember also that most, and I mean a HUGE majority, of Atheists are Agnostic regarding Belief and Non-Theistic due to that Agnosticism, ie. an Atheist (Not a Theist).

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DuctapeFatwa

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Thu Aug-28-03 11:53 AM
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3. Only after 5 PM and never wearing drop earrings or a tailored hat

with an off-the shoulder neckline.

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cprise

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Thu Aug-28-03 12:00 PM
Response to Reply #3

5. Don't forget...

A humanist lapel pin!

I would use this an an avatar if it were available.

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Wwagsthedog

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Thu Aug-28-03 11:59 AM
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4. Why can't a person be both?

This is a rhetorical question but there are arguments which can be made that someone can be both at the same time given the links provided. Certainly there are other arguments which can be made that one has to be one or the other but won't that be splitting hairs? Throw deism into the fray and non-athiest, non-believers could get confused. IMHO it is better to pick one of them, if you are so inclined, and avoid entangling discusions.

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cprise

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Thu Aug-28-03 12:25 PM
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6. They are eminently compatible

Being an agnostic simply means you've taken the position that man is finite and cannot know the infinite. To be a humanist, you need only believe that our first priorities are the people we share this planet with. We assume that we control our own destiny, but not absolutely because we will always have to make the best of what the universe gives us.

As for being secular, I don't see that as a very big qualifier. Any religious humanism will be liberal in nature and essentially compatible with secular society.

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redeye

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Thu Aug-28-03 12:45 PM
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7. Yes, s/he can

Agnosticism is a metaphysical position that deals with the question, "does god exist?"

Secular humanism deals with an ethical question and thus belongs to an entirely different domain of philosophy - it's the answer to "what is the ultimate goal of ethics?" The definition you gave is of skepticism, not secular humanism.

Secular humanism can even be reconciled with theism, as long as it is kept as a belief that there exists a god and not taken further to a religion, which is the combination of ethical dogma and metaphysical theism.

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