Agnosticism is the belief that the existence or non-existence of deities is currently unknown or unknowable. The term “agnosticism” was first used by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869 to describe the idea that metaphysical ideas can be neither proved nor disproved. With regard to Huxley’s view, religious studies professor Van Harvey, in his entry in The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief, writes:
“It is, as far as he makes clear, a commitment to a principle or method, a method that may be stated both positively and negatively. Positively, it means that we should follow our reason as far as it will take us in all matters of the intellect without regard to any other considerations. Negatively, it means that in matters of the intellect we should not pretend that conclusions that are neither demonstrated nor demonstrable are certain.”
Defining agnosticism as “the suspension of belief or disbelief in God,” Julian Baggini, in his book Atheism: A Very Short Introduction, writes:
“The agnostic claims we cannot know whether God exists and so the only rational option is to reserve judgement. For the agnostic, both the theist and the atheist go too far, in affirming or denying God’s existence respectively—we just don’t have sufficient evidence or arguments to justify either position.”
Agnosticism is sometimes seen as a form of skepticism, especially with regard to theism. Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), in an article republished in The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever, writes:
“The Agnostic is one who asserts—what no one denies—that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence.” According to Stephen: “…that natural man can know nothing of the Divine nature.”
In his entry on agnosticism in The New Encyclopedia of Unbelief, philosophy professor Aaron Holland writes:
“According to agnosticism, the existence of God is unknowable, either because this metaphysical claim lies beyond the reach of human cognitive facilities, or because neither the evidence for nor the evidence against the existence of God is epistemically superior. For these reasons, agnosticism normally involves a suspension of belief concerning God’s existence as well.”
There several different kinds of agnostics. The weakest form of agnosticism is simply a profession of personal ignorance with respect to the claims of the existence of a god. A stronger form of agnosticism claims that the existence of a god is unknowable. Aaron Holland writes:
“According to the parity agnostic, the evidence for and against God’s existence is sufficiently balanced such that neither belief nor disbelief is epistemically preferable.”
There are also some agnostics, known as sans-evidence agnostics, who feel that there is no evidence for as well as no evidence against the existence of god.
Some agnostics focus on the unknowability of the metaphysical claims for a god, but at the same time feel that both belief and disbelief are permissible. During the nineteenth century, some Protestant theologians—Friedrich Schleirmacher, Albrecht Ritschi, and Bishop Henry Mansel—felt that the divine was unknowable. They argued that Christian theology was not a science, but rather a description of religious feelings.
With regard to the difference between agnosticism and atheism, Michael Shermer, in his book The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, writes:
“…agnosticism is an intellectual position, a statement about the existence or nonexistence of the deity and our ability to know it with certainty, whereas atheism is a behavioral position.”
Positive atheism is the affirmation the gods do not exist, while negative atheism is simply a lack of belief in gods. In his book Atheism and the Case Against Christ, Matthew McCormick writes:
“Agnosticism is traditionally characterized as neither believing that God exists nor believing that God does not exist. Agnostics, because they lack a belief in God, are negative atheists.”
Religion 101/102
Religion 101/102 is a series of essays on various topics relating to religion in which the concept of religion is not confined to Western religions nor to religions which centered around gods. Religion 102 is an expansion of an earlier lesson. More from this series:
Religion 201: An Introduction to Ancestor Worship and Veneration
Religion 201: Reincarnation
Religion 101: God-Given Morality
Religion 101: The Great Awakenings
Religion 101: Religion and Ancient Civilizations
Religion 101: Shamanistic Ceremonies
Religion 101: Creation Science and Intelligent Design
Religion 101: Zoroaster's Vision