agnosticism
English
Etymology
Coined by Thomas Henry Huxley. From a- + gnostic + -ism (see also agnostic).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /æɡˈnɒstɪsɪzəm/
- (General American) IPA(key): /æɡˈnɑstɪsɪzəm/
Audio (Mid-Atlantic) (file)
Noun
agnosticism (countable and uncountable, plural agnosticisms)
- The view that absolute truth or ultimate certainty is unattainable, especially regarding knowledge not based on experience or perceivable phenomena.
- The view that the existence of God or of all deities is unknown, unknowable, unproven, or unprovable.
- Doubt, uncertainty, or scepticism regarding the existence of a god or gods.
- 1956, January 31st: Alan Alexander Milne; quoted in:
- 1988: James B. Simpson, Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations, № 4,393 (Houghton Mifflin, →ISBN
- The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief — call it what you will — than any book ever written; it has emptied more churches than all the counterattractions of cinema, motor bicycle and golf course.
- (by extension) Doubt, uncertainty, or scepticism regarding any subject of dispute.
- 2009, B. Pontin, “Climate change agnosticism - its meaning and implications”, in Environmental Law and Management, volume 21, number 2, ISSN 1067-6058, pages 55-57:
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Coordinate terms
- deism
Derived terms
- agnostic
- agnostically
- agnostics
Related terms
- apatheism
- atheism
- Gnostic
- Gnosticism
- ignostic
- ignosticism
- theism
Translations
view that the existence of a God or gods is unknown, unknowable, unproven, or unprovable
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See also
- Appendix:Glossary of philosophical isms
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from French agnosticisme. Equivalent to agnostic + -ism.
Noun
agnosticism n (uncountable)
- agnosticism
Declension
declension of agnosticism (singular only)
singular | ||
---|---|---|
n gender | indefinite articulation | definite articulation |
nominative/accusative | (un) agnosticism | agnosticismul |
genitive/dative | (unui) agnosticism | agnosticismului |
vocative | agnosticismule |
Swedish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /aɡnɔstɪsˈɪsm/
Noun
agnosticism c
- agnosticism
Declension
Declension of agnosticism | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | agnosticism | agnosticismen | agnosticismer | agnosticismerna |
Genitive | agnosticisms | agnosticismens | agnosticismers | agnosticismernas |