What does agnostic mean? Ive never heard the word before?

Answer 1

Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the (truth) values of certain claims—particularly theological claims regarding the existence of God, gods, or deities—are unknown, inherently unknowable, or incoherent, and therefore, irrelevant to life.

Agnostics may claim that it is not possible to have absolute or certain spiritual knowledge or, alternatively, that while certainty may be possible, they personally have no such knowledge. Agnosticism in both cases involves some form of skepticism towards religious statements. Some claim that there is nothing distinctive in being an agnostic because even theists do not claim to know God exists, only to believe it, and many even agree there is room for doubt; and atheists in the broader sense do not claim to know there is no God, only not to believe in one.

Answer 2

The term 'agnostic' was coined by Thomas Huxley and it refers quite simply to a person who holds the view that it is wrong to assert the truth of a proposition without logically satisfactory evidence.

So, an agnostic would say that it's wrong to say "God exists" or "No gods exist" without the argument or evidence to back it up. Moreover, the agnostic would say that it's immoral for a person to tell someone else that they *ought* to believe in the existence of a god or gods without providing logically satisfactory evidence to support that claim.

A 'theist' is defined as someone who believes in the existence of a god or gods, so an atheist is anyone who is not a theist.

So you can be agnostic and also an atheist, or agnostic and a theist, or not agnostic and an atheist, or not agnostic and a theist.

Answer 3

Agnosticism is the conception that understanding of God's existence is unknowable. Agnostics declare no understanding of God, yet would have a conception in God nonetheless. they could also take a position in which they declare no conception in God. human beings regularly mistake agnosticism for a position on the likes of theism and atheism, besides the undeniable fact that it has no longer something to do with both. i'm an agnostic because i don't believe of anybody has any solutions about God, and that i don't believe of anybody ever will. I also do not care about no matter if God exists, as to me the answer is irrelevant. yet because i replaced into influenced to three degree with the help of religion so I nonetheless pray from time to time. I keep in mind that my prayers may be futile as God may no longer exist, yet I do it out of habit really. except for that I particularly a lot stay my existence as atheist.

Answer 4

www.dictionary.reference.com