Possibilianism

Possibilianism is a philosophical stance proposed by neuroscientist David Eagleman. It emphasizes radical open-mindedness and humility in the face of unknowns, especially about God, consciousness, and the universe.

Core Principles

• Refusal to claim certainty where evidence is thin or absent
• Openness to multiple, competing explanations at once
• Preference for “many live hypotheses” over a single fixed belief
• Commitment to updating views as new data arrive
• Dislike of dogmatism, whether religious or aggressively atheistic

View of God & Metaphysics

• Does not assert that God exists
• Does not assert that God does not exist
• Holds that our current knowledge is too limited for confident claims
• Treats “something beyond the observable universe” as an open question
• Encourages imaginative but disciplined speculation about ultimate reality

Relation to Other Positions

• Versus atheism: less confident that “there is no God”
• Versus theism: refuses to endorse specific doctrines
• Versus agnosticism: more focused on active exploration than on mere “not knowing”
• Versus skepticism: skeptical of certainty, not of possibility itself

Epistemic Attitude (How It Treats Knowledge)

• Assumes our models of reality are provisional and incomplete
• Separates “currently unsupported” from “impossible”
• Values empirical science as the best tool we have, but not the last word
• Encourages mapping possible explanations, then testing them where we can

Practical Implications

• Comfortable saying “I don’t know” about big existential questions
• Avoids building identity around absolute metaphysical claims
• Promotes curiosity-driven research into consciousness and cosmology
• Supports humility in debates over religion, spirituality, and science
• Leaves room for awe and wonder without committing to dogma

Critiques & Challenges

• Some see it as “atheism with softer branding”
• Others see it as too vague to guide concrete belief or practice
• Hard to define clear boundaries between healthy openness and credulity
• Raises questions about how to live ethically amid deep uncertainty