agnosticism
Let an agent explain agnosticism and its varieties, relay its history and philosophical arguments from academic sources with attribution, describe how it relates to theism and atheism, and distinguish agnosticism from atheism, deism, scepticism and indifference.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Understand What agnosticism is.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is agnosticism, and how does it differ from atheism, deism, scepticism and indifference? definition
- Is the question about the philosophical position or about personal belief? boundary
Varieties
Varieties.
Varieties
Varieties.
- What are strong and weak agnosticism, agnostic theism and agnostic atheism? definition
- Which entry fits the specific variety? action
History History.
Origins
Origins.
Origins
Origins.
- How did Huxley coin the term, and what earlier thinkers held similar views, as historians describe? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Thinkers
Thinkers.
Thinkers
Thinkers.
- How have Kant, Spencer, Russell and others contributed to agnostic thought, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Arguments Arguments.
For
Arguments for.
For
For.
- What arguments support agnosticism, from limits of knowledge to evidential balance, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Against
Criticisms.
Against
Against.
- What criticisms do theists and atheists make of agnosticism, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits philosophy of religion? action
Context Society and religion.
Society
Demographics.
Society
Society.
- How many people identify as agnostic, and how do surveys measure it? provenance
- Which entry fits irreligion? action
Religion
Agnosticism within religions.
Religion
Religion.
- How do some religious traditions accommodate agnostic stances, as their thinkers describe? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific tradition? action
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Cross-cutting context
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- XCT
- Domain
- XCT.STA
- Other names and narrower kinds
- agnostic theism
What it is Filled
The view that the existence of God or the divine is unknown or unknowable, or that claims about it cannot be justified, a term coined by Thomas Huxley in 1869, held in forms ranging from strong agnosticism, which holds such knowledge impossible, to weak agnosticism, which suspends judgement, and combined with belief or disbelief as agnostic theism, which believes without claiming knowledge, and agnostic atheism; agnosticism concerns knowledge rather than belief and is distinct from atheism and from religious indifference.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain agnosticism and its varieties, relay its history and philosophical arguments from academic sources with attribution, describe how it relates to theism and atheism, and distinguish agnosticism from atheism, deism, scepticism and indifference.
Distinguishing features Filled
- About knowledge, not belief
- Strong and weak forms
- Compatible with theism or atheism
- Huxleyan origin
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Mock or disparage people for their religious or non-religious views.
- Assert a specific person is agnostic without their own statement.
- Try to change a person's beliefs about religion.
Only with a human decision
- Recording a person's religious belief in any official or shared record.
May
- Explain agnosticism and its varieties, citing philosophical sources.
- Distinguish agnosticism from atheism and theism.
Moral aspects Filled
- Non-belief can lead to discrimination or persecution in some places.
- Religious views are personal and sensitive data.
Who is affected
- Agnostics and non-believers
- Religious believers
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody owns the view; it is held by individuals.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q34394 - registry parent class
related
- belief - in registry terms, as an epistemic stance
- Thomas Henry Huxley - in 1869
- atheism - which concerns belief
- agnostic theism - with belief in God
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.agnosticism
- Wikidata: Q288928 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288928)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
- term coined: 1869 year - Thomas Huxley
- self-identified agnostics in surveys: varies note - often a few percent
Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.
Recognition optional Filled
- Position that the divine is unknown or unknowable
- Strong and weak agnosticism, agnostic theism, agnostic atheism
- Atheism concerns belief; deism affirms a creator; apatheism is indifference
- Not a visible object; a stance on knowledge of the divine.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain the position
- relay history and arguments
- describe relations to belief
- distinguish related positions
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Confusing agnosticism with atheism
- Presenting one definition as the only one
- Disrespect toward believers or non-believers
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- No regulation; freedom of belief protections
Context of use required Filled
- Not applicable; a philosophical position.
- strong or hard agnosticism
- weak or soft agnosticism
- agnostic theism
- agnostic atheism
- apathetic agnosticism
- ignosticism as a related view
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q288928: agnosticism - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Agnosticism - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should agnostic theism be a separate primary entry?
- How should philosophical sources be linked?
- How should survey data on self-identification be recorded?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q288928/spec.json