POLL: What's your definition of an agnostic? Atheist?

[rax]

I created this poll because there seems to be a bit of semantic contention as to what the general definition of an "agnostic" or "atheist" is.

If you consider yourself to be theist, there are 2 questions for you to answer.
If you consider yourself to be agnostic, there are 2 questions for you to answer.
If you consider yourself to be atheist, there are 2 questions for you to answer.

http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/477638


If you have any thoughts as to how I could edit the poll to make it better, I'm all ears.

Thanks

[Rev. Rye]

The problem with the "agnostic" one is that I would define agnostic as "one who doesn't take a position either way on the possibility of God's existence," and it was hard to find a definition on that list that would match.

[Edwardo Piet]

I voted for the opinions of both an agnostic and an atheist because I am both - atheism is about the absence of belief in Gods, agnostic has got nothing to do with belief, it has to do with knowledge. So you can be an agnostic and an atheist (as am I, hence why I voted for the opinions of both an agnostic and an atheist), and you can also be an agnostic and a theist.

EvF

[Tiberius]

The problem with the "agnostic" one is that I would define agnostic as "one who doesn't take a position either way on the possibility of God's existence," and it was hard to find a definition on that list that would match.

Are you sure you aren't confusing the meaning of the word apatheist with agnostic?

I've heard quite a few definitions of agnostic (most of them wrong), but "not taking a position" I don't think is one of them. The closest would be "maybe God exists", which is partially accurate, although not wholly.

The correct definition is "the view that the existence of god is unknown or unknowable. It deals solely with knowledge and not belief so agnosticism is not a belief and therefore not related to theism or atheism."

[Atheist_named_Christian]

It's interesting, that most theists believe that an Atheist "knows with certainty that a God/gods do not exist". So they admit to believe in something other people already know does not exist? The statement is not that Atheists claim to know, but that they actually know for sure (which is not possible for a human being anyway).

I think there is a big difference between the statement "There is no god" and the statement "I know with certainty that there is no god". I don't think it's possible to know the non-existence of anything in our world for sure (mathematical constructs can indeed be proven to "not exist").

[tackattack]

Adrian, but you can be agnostic about lots of things outside religion so I chose the not related to theism or atheism. I think in relation to theism or atheism that would be the correct defintion, but he clearly said only agnostic not agnostic atheist / theist.

Atheist named Christian.. I think the you may select multiple answers threw people off. I didn't even see that when I took it so I assumed you should pick the most accurate definition from the bunch and I chose "A person who is not a theist. Atheism is an absence of theism." which was the overwhelming majority at the time.

[Paul the Human]

When it comes to theism and atheism, I've always felt that 'agnostic' is an extraneous word. I'm an atheist. I do not claim to 'know' that there is no god... and I don't feel it can be proven either way... so I am also 'agnostic'. All theists and atheists are agnostic about the existence of god. I've never felt that word is even needed when describing whether or not one believes.

[Rev. Rye]

The problem with the "agnostic" one is that I would define agnostic as "one who doesn't take a position either way on the possibility of God's existence," and it was hard to find a definition on that list that would match.

Are you sure you aren't confusing the meaning of the word apatheist with agnostic?

I've heard quite a few definitions of agnostic (most of them wrong), but "not taking a position" I don't think is one of them. The closest would be "maybe God exists", which is partially accurate, although not wholly.

The correct definition is "the view that the existence of god is unknown or unknowable. It deals solely with knowledge and not belief so agnosticism is not a belief and therefore not related to theism or atheism."

Well, I took my definitions from Merriam-Webster. I'm not sure if the OED has a different definition. Here's the entry, emphasis mine, pronunciation, etymology, and function removed.

Main Entry: ag·nos·tic
1 : a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god
2 : a person unwilling to commit to an opinion about something <political agnostics.>

[Tiberius]

Well I've never liked Merriam-Webster before; I think I've found other places where they got definitions completely wrong. Their definition of "atheist" is also inaccurate, only covering a small percentage of actual atheists ("one who believes there is no deity" as opposed to "one who disbelieves in deities").

Thomas Huxley (who invented the term) explained it thus:

Agnosticism is not a creed but a method, the essence of which lies in the vigorous application of a single principle ...Positively the principle may be expressed as in matters of intellect, do not pretend conclusions are certain that are not demonstrated or demonstrable.

Broadly speaking, agnosticism / gnosticism deals with knowledge (whether we *know* something to be true), and atheism / theism deals with belief (whether we *belief* in the existence of God). The difference between knowledge and belief is very strict. You can deny that you have knowledge of something (agnosticism) yet still believe or disbelieve it, as I do with my agnostic atheism (i.e. I do not believe in Gods, but I don't claim that I know their non-existence to be true).

I'd further criticize the definition on philosophical grounds. There is no midway point between atheism and theism; they are a perfect dichotomy. Either you believe in God, or you don't. If you are "non-committal", then you clearly do not believe in God, at least not in any definitive sense.

The only leeway possible is through apatheism; which is the disregard for belief or disbelief in deities. However, even if these people do not care about professing their belief, or think it unimportant, it does not stop them from having a belief (or disbelief) in the first place. Apatheists are still either believers or non-believers; they just don't care to say which they are (or they profess their belief / non-belief but hold it as unimportant in the way of things).

[Paul the Human]

Apatheists are still either believers or non-believers; they just don't care to say which they are (or they profess their belief / non-belief but hold it as unimportant in the way of things).

When my wife and I first met, she was what could only be called an 'apatheist'. She honestly did not care whether there was a god or not. She had never given the matter any thought whatsoever. Some people claimed there was a god and some people claimed there wasn't. She... simply didn't care.

Once she heard my arguments back and forth with theists, she came the the conclusion that she agrees with me. It is all make-believe. The thing is, though... she still doesn't really give a shit either way. I'd say that she is a true apatheist.