Definitions for agnosticism
ægˈnɒs təˌsɪz əmag·nos·ti·cism

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. agnosticismnoun

   a religious orientation of doubt; a denial of ultimate knowledge of the existence of God

   "agnosticism holds that you can neither prove nor disprove God's existence"

2. agnosticism, skepticism, scepticismnoun

   the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. agnosticismnoun

   The view that absolute truth or ultimate certainty is unattainable, especially regarding knowledge not based on experience or perceivable phenomena.

2. agnosticismnoun

   The view that the existence of God or of all deities is unknown, unknowable, unproven, or unprovable.

3. agnosticismnoun

   Doubt, uncertainty, or scepticism regarding the existence of a God or of all deities.

4. Etymology: a- + gnostic + -ism

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Agnosticism

   Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that God exists or the belief that God does not exist."The English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined the word agnostic in 1869, and said "It simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has no scientific grounds for professing to know or believe." Earlier thinkers, however, had written works that promoted agnostic points of view, such as Sanjaya Belatthaputta, a 5th-century BCE Indian philosopher who expressed agnosticism about any afterlife; and Protagoras, a 5th-century BCE Greek philosopher who expressed agnosticism about the existence of "the gods".

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Agnosticismnoun

   that doctrine which, professing ignorance, neither asserts nor denies

2. Agnosticismnoun

   the doctrine that the existence of a personal Deity, an unseen world, etc., can be neither proved nor disproved, because of the necessary limits of the human mind (as sometimes charged upon Hamilton and Mansel), or because of the insufficiency of the evidence furnished by physical and physical data, to warrant a positive conclusion (as taught by the school of Herbert Spencer); -- opposed alike dogmatic skepticism and to dogmatic theism

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Agnosticism

   Agnosticism is the view that the existence or non-existence of any deity is unknown and possibly unknowable. More specifically, agnosticism is the view that the truth values of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, as well as other religious and metaphysical claims—are unknown and unknowable. Agnosticism can be defined in various ways, and is sometimes used to indicate doubt or a skeptical approach to questions. In some senses, agnosticism is a stance about the difference between belief and knowledge, rather than about any specific claim or belief. In the popular sense, an agnostic is someone who neither believes nor disbelieves in the existence of a deity or deities, whereas a theist and an atheist believe and disbelieve, respectively. In the strict sense, however, agnosticism is the view that humanity does not currently possess the requisite knowledge and/or reason to provide sufficient rational grounds to justify the belief that deities either do or do not exist. Thomas Henry Huxley, an English biologist, coined the word agnostic in 1869. However, earlier thinkers and written works have promoted agnostic points of view. They include Sanjaya Belatthaputta, a 5th-century BCE Indian philosopher who expressed agnosticism about any afterlife, Protagoras, a 5th-century BCE Greek philosopher agnostic about the gods, and the Nasadiya Sukta in the Rig Veda concerning the origin of the universe.

The Nuttall EncyclopediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Agnosticism

   the doctrine which disclaims all knowledge of the supersensuous, or denies that we know or can know the absolute, the infinite, or God.

Matched Categories

1. • Religious Orientation
   • Unbelief

How to pronounce agnosticism?

1. Alex

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   David

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   Mark

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   Daniel

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   Libby

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   Mia

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   Karen

   Australian

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   Neerja

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   Tessa

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How to say agnosticism in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of agnosticism in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of agnosticism in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of agnosticism in a Sentence

1. Clarence Darrow:

   I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure-that is all that agnosticism means.

2. Clarence Darrow, Scopes Trial, 1925:

   I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment, to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure -- that is all agnosticism means.

3. Clarence Darrow:

   I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure--that is all that agnosticism means.

4. President Herbert Hoover, in proposing the abolition of the United Nations, in favor of a "cooperation of God-fearing free natio:

   What the world needs today is a definite, spiritual mobilization of the nations who belive in God against this tide of Red agnosticism. ...And in rejecting an atheistic other world, I am confident that the Almighty God will be with us.

5. Thomas Huxley:

   Agnosticism simply means that a man shall not say he knows or believes that for which he has no grounds for professing to believe.

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