- Paperback: 144 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press (Nov 15 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0199575266
- ISBN-13: 978-0199575268
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 1.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 159 g
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#266,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #31 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Agnosticism
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
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 thana 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 Author
Robin Le Poidevin took a first degree in philosophy and psychology at Oxford University, and went on to postgraduate research at Cambridge University. He is now Professor of Metaphysics at Leeds Univeristy, and the author of a number of books and articles on metaphysics and the philosophy of religion. In 2007 he gave the Stanton Lectures in the Philosophy of Religion at Cambridge.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Introduction to Agnosticism, Nov 24 2010
By Dr. Bojan Tunguz - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Agnosticism: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
Agnosticism seems to have been on the rise in recent years. More and more people seem to feel equally uncomfortable with the tenants of an organized religion as they are with the increasingly more vocal and obstreperous atheism. On the other hand, many theist and atheist critics consider agnosticism to be an easy way out of the debate, even calling agnostics intellectually lazy. To be sure, there are many people who call themselves agnostic precisely because they could not be bothered to engage in any form of contemplation about religion. However, agnosticism as an intellectual position is much more sophisticated than that and it has a long and respectable history.The aim of this short introduction is primarily to focus on the ideas behind agnosticism, and not so much on its historical and cultural aspects. If you appreciate thinking about ideas in their own right and if you value well thought out arguments then you will find a lot to be pleased with in this book. The tone of presentation is extremely measured and polished, and even some of the thorniest issues in the religious debates are handled with the utmost grace and aplomb. One of the main theses of the book is that agnosticism is actually compatible with both theism and atheism, and even the most ardent believer or unbeliever is in fact agnostic about certain aspects of the ultimate reality. To be anything short of that would amount to the utmost intellectual arrogance.
This is an incredibly well argued and well written book and anyone who has any interest in religious topics (regardless of their personal views) would greatly benefit from reading it.
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