Must We Know Everything?

[Jenny A]

I like to read popular science, but I know very little. I'm not a trained biologist, physicist, astronomer, etc. I read a lot of history, but I'm no recognized expert in any particular time period. I suspect that this describes many atheists and that there are many atheists who read even less.

What interests me is why theists think that knowing the origins of the universe, life, or humans matters to the question of whether there is a god. Why is it that anyone would think that we don't know necessarily means there is a god?

I'm not exactly happy with "I don't know." But I'm not so uncomfortable with it, that I have to make up and answer to feel better.

[Silver]

Humans are conditioned to be uncomfortable with unknowns; as a result, they unreasonably concoct an answer to alleviate their inner turmoil. It is no coincidence that the answer they have chosen is one that relies solely on fallible faith.

[Ravenshire]

I think it's the other side of the "gawd of the gaps" argument. Having gawd there to plug the gaps in science with goddidit also plugs the gaps where their belief could leak out. They believe in an all knowing gawd, therefor gawd must know how and why everything happened and if it doesn't know then their belief starts to show weakness.

[Minimalist]

Science is worth learning. Theology? Not so much.

At least science will come in useful eventually.

[abentwookie]

I like to read popular science, but I know very little. I'm not a trained biologist, physicist, astronomer, etc. I read a lot of history, but I'm no recognized expert in any particular time period. I suspect that this describes many atheists and that there are many atheists who read even less.

What interests me is why theists think that knowing the origins of the universe, life, or humans matters to the question of whether there is a god. Why is it that anyone would think that we don't know necessarily means there is a god?

I'm not exactly happy with "I don't know." But I'm not so uncomfortable with it, that I have to make up and answer to feel better.

I think as a species, we NEED to know. We have this overwhelming curiosity about the universe around us and not knowing is something that bothers a lot of people. I don't have any problems with admitting that I don't have an answer for some things but I do want to find one.

[Napoléon]

I'm not exactly happy with "I don't know." But I'm not so uncomfortable with it, that I have to make up and answer to feel better.

Heh, they don't even make it up though do they? That would be far too much intellectual stimulation. Nah, they just go along with whatever fairytale they're exposed to first.

[Dystopia]

Well, the more we know the better, but we can't necessarily know everything or even all knowledge available - After the industrial revolution human beings started to pick specializations, and now with the advancement of science and technology, as well as increased complexity of human societies and problems to address, I think we will fracture areas of knowledge (sciences) even more thus making it impossible to possess absolute knowledge or even knowledge about all of the world's sciences. Personally I study law and by consequence I am required to know a significant amount of stuff about politics (because law intersects with governmental institutions), philosophy, history and some literature, as well as minimal ethics and morality knowledge and some economics. Other than that, I learn because I enjoy it, but I don't seek absolute knowledge and I'm a noob on many things - For instance, I don't know much about evolution and I never had biology b sides primary school classes, so it's not my thing, I simply know that evidence for evolution is strong after the basic research I've analysed compared to creationist propositions.

In my opinion, not only is it a fallacy from incredulity but it's intellectually lazy because it begs humans to prematurely answer a question and avoid searching for other possible answer. We can't and will not know everything, but that is not proof for god - In fact, reverse the position - If we don't know much, how can we make such an extraordinary claim like the one that gods do exist?

[Thumpalumpacus]

The ability to say "I don't know" is the mark of an adult. Making peace with the limits of one's knowledge teaches humility better than any Bible verse I've ever read.

[Cato]

I don't know what the skin between my balls and asshole tastes like. I also don't know what god tastes like. Therefore, god is the skin between my balls and asshole.

[Jenny A]

I don't know what the skin between my balls and asshole tastes like. I also don't know what god tastes like. Therefore, god is the skin between my balls and asshole.

I hope there's someone who knows the answer to the question and that while you might love her, you don't think she's god.