Agnosticism

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /æɡˈnɒstɪsɪzəm/

Definitions

1. The philosophical position that the existence of a supreme being or ultimate reality cannot be known or proven either way
2. The view that it is impossible to determine whether a deity or ultimate truth exists
3. A standpoint holding that knowledge about divine existence cannot be confirmed or denied

Etymology: Thomas Henry Huxley, the English biologist known as "Darwin's bulldog," coined this term himself. He needed a name for his own position: he did not claim to know whether God existed, and he disliked the confident claims of both believers and atheists. In the 1869 essay where he introduced the idea, he described himself as having taken up a position he called "agnostic," built on the Greek "a-" meaning "without" and "gnostic," from "gnosis," knowledge. The coinage was deliberately tied to a older Greek word. "Gnostic" referred to those who claimed special spiritual knowledge, and Huxley's new formation simply meant one who lacks such knowledge. The suffix "-ism" turned the position into a doctrine or stance rather than a personal label, which is why the noun names the outlook itself.

Synonyms: skepticism, uncertainty, doubt, non-commitment, incredulity

Antonyms: certainty, faith, belief, conviction, trust