Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Agnostic
Ag-nos′tic
,Adj.
[Gr.
ἀ
priv. + [GREEK] knowing, [GREEK] to know.] Professing ignorance; involving no dogmatic; pertaining to or involving agnosticism.
– Ag-nos′tic-al-ly
, adv.
Ag-nos′tic
,Noun.
One who professes ignorance, or denies that we have any knowledge, save of phenomena; one who supports agnosticism, neither affirming nor denying the existence of a personal Deity, a future life, etc.
Definition 2024
agnostic
agnostic
English
Noun
agnostic (plural agnostics)
- A person who holds to a form of agnosticism, especially uncertainty of the existence of a deity.
- 1876 June 1, Stephen, Leslie, “An Agnostic's Apology”, in The Forthnightly Review, volume 25/19, number 114, page 840:
- The Agnostic is one who asserts—what no one denies—that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.
- 1953 November 3, Russell, Bertrand, “What is an Agnostic?”, in Look:
- An agnostic thinks it impossible to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other religions are concerned.
- 1985, Sagan, Carl, Contact: a novel, New York: Simon and Schuster, ISBN 978-0671434007, page 175:
- When I say I'm an agnostic, I only mean that the evidence isn't in. There isn't compelling evidence that God exists — at least your kind of god — and there isn't compelling evidence that he doesn't.
-
Coordinate terms
Translations
one who holds to a form of agnosticism.
|
|
Adjective
agnostic (comparative more agnostic, superlative most agnostic)
- Of or relating to agnosticism or its adherents.
- 1889, Huxley, Thomas Henry, Agnosticism:
- In matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic faith, which if a man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face, whatever the future may have in store for him.
- His agnostic viewpoint is summarized in his book.
-
- Doubtful or uncertain about the existence or demonstrability of God or other deity.
- She left the church when she became agnostic.
- (computing) A software component (or other entity) that is unaware or noncommittal regarding the specific nature of the components with which it interacts; polymorphic; modular; pluggable
- The socket communications layer is agnostic with regard to its underlying transport mechanism -- it is “transport-agnostic”.
- (usually with a prepositional phrase) Having no firmly held opinions on an issue or matter of uncertainty.
- I'm agnostic on whether ethanol is a green fuel
- He says he's agnostic concerning the Secretary's claims.
Translations
of or relating to agnosticism
|
|
Related terms
See also
- atheist
- sceptic (Mainly UK & Commonwealth), skeptic (Mainly US)
- Appendix:Glossary of philosophical isms