The benefits of agnosticism

Agnosticism, or to be agnostic, is a belief that relates to a person's inability to know things with some degree of certainty beyond what one experiences through the five senses. Even our senses can be deceived, creating an illusory experience. It is a very philosophical question to ask: "What can we know?" but it also has very practical applications. The more certain we become of a particular way of thinking about or seeing the world, the more blind we become to other possibilities and opportunities. To be agnostic about life is to appreciate that with new experience and new information, it is possible to see the world in a different way. It can be a very optimistic approach to life.

Many of us live by very dogmatic beliefs. These are ways of seeing the world that we have accepted as truth often passed down by generations or dictated by some form of authority. Maybe they are assumptions we have made due to a particular experience that convinced us to see the world a certain way. Sceptics and atheists can be just as dogmatic as devout religious people. Even scientists will sometimes ignore the scientific method and allow their biases to ignore or discount certain evidence or possibilities. My point is that everyone is susceptible to limiting beliefs, and the more we remind ourselves that there is little we can be certain of, the more open we can be to new ways of seeing the world.

Admitting the degree of uncertainty in life can be very unsettling for many. People create beliefs to make sense of their world, and many of these beliefs are very beneficial. Beliefs create a structure and framework for our reality. However, when we become overly certain about our beliefs, and these convictions lead us to try to impose them on others, we become stagnant or have conflict in the world. The same thing can happen to individuals on an internal level. We may become so convinced about our beliefs that we create limitations to our own well-being. By doing so, we develop limits on our potential, and the opportunities life provides us for growth and change.

When people are willing to discuss and debate ideas regardless of ideology or personal opinions, it is possible to discover new ideas and new ways of thinking. The same is possible for your own way of seeing the world. Some people will say things like "I am too old for that." or "That may be possible for someone else but not for me." they have accepted a belief with certainty. This certainty has created limits. If we can be like Socrates and admit that we know nothing for certain, then we can be agnostic. When we are willing to set our beliefs and opinions aside to explore new possibilities, our potential and the opportunities for a brighter future become limitless. These are the benefits of being agnostic.