agnosticism
ag-NOSS-tuh-siz-um
/æɡˈnɒstɪsɪzəm/
The philosophical view that the truth values of claims regarding God or the supernatural are unknown or inherently unknowable.
Emphasizes epistemic limitation and intellectual humility rather than outright denial.
The story behind the word. Coined in 1869 by biologist Thomas Henry Huxley at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society. He created it as an antithesis to the early Christian 'Gnostics', who claimed special spiritual insight.
Word relationships
- skepticism: Skepticism questions specific evidence, whereas agnosticism asserts metaphysical unknowability.
- gnosticism: Gnosticism asserts secret or direct spiritual knowledge.
- dogmatism: Dogmatism claims absolute certainty without requiring proof.
Commonly confused with
- atheism: Agnosticism claims 'we cannot know,' while atheism claims 'I do not believe.'
Word family
- agnostic (noun): A person who holds that ultimate reality is unknowable.
- agnostic (adjective): Holding that ultimate truth cannot be known.
Collocations
- strict agnosticism
- philosophical agnosticism
- principle of agnosticism
Example sentences
- "Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term agnosticism to describe his refusal to claim knowledge he could not scientifically prove." Philosophical treatise
- "Her philosophical stance was marked by agnosticism, choosing to reserve judgment on metaphysical questions." Sociological commentary
Memory hook
A- (without) + GNOSIS (knowledge) = without absolute knowledge. Knowledge is out of reach.
When not to use
Avoid using it as a synonym for simple indecision on everyday matters.
Fun facts
- T.H. Huxley came up with the word partly because he felt like a 'fox without a tail' among colleagues who all had elaborate philosophical labels.
Related words
Explore more words
fallibilism, epistemology, skeptic, epistemic, nihilism, skepticism
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