Types of Agnostics
Agnosticism is the belief that one cannot know the nature of spiritual phenomena because it does not have a physical manifestation, particularly regarding God or other deities.
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Origin
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While the concept of agnosticism is not a recent development, the term "agnostic" is attributed to the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley, who invented the term in the 19th century (based on the Greek word "gnostic" meaning knowledge) in order to accurately define his beliefs, which he felt did not lie with "atheist" or "theist."
Beliefs
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Agnosticism is not so much an organized belief system or religion, but rather a broad concept characterized by a lack of allegiance to both the belief in the spiritual (theism) and disbelief of the spiritual (atheism). Typical use of the term "agnostic" is to identify those who are undecided about the existence of God.
"Agnostic" can also include the active belief that God's existence is unknowable, and thus the agnostic chooses to neither believe nor deny that existence.
When Huxley invented the term, he defined it as a denial of what is supposed to be an objective truth because there is no proper evidence for it. Therefore, because, in Huxley's opinion, there is no substantial evidence for the existence of God, then he is an agnostic.
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Types
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Religious philosopher Theodore M. Drange identifies four types of agnostics, based on the belief in the possibility of knowing if God exists.
Unknowability agnostics believe that, due to a lack of evidence, there is no possible way to prove the existence of God.
Zero-data agnostics, on the other hand, believe that it is indeed possible to prove God's existence or non-existence, but there is not yet any proof.
Data-vs.-data agnostics believe that believers and non-believers are matched in their evidence, and therefore no group has the upper hand in the debate.
Data-vs.-principle agnostics believe that the burden of proof is on the theists to prove the existence of God, and that, while there is some evidence, there is not enough to satisfy the argument for the existence of God.
Famous Agnostics
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In addition to Huxley, there have been several major agnostic thinkers, including major 20th-century British philosopher Bertrand Russell, the naturalist Charles Darwin, and the 19th century American politician and orator Robert G. Ingersoll.
Arguments
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Some make an argument for agnosticism based on uncertainty. For them, humanity's inability to prove God's existence or nonexistence is justification enough for agnosticism. Others, however, argue that the supernatural is incomprehensible due to its existence beyond the physical. Because humans understand their world based on physical experience, they cannot understand the nature of a deity due to its immateriality.
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