Talk:Agnosticism
Proof v knowledge change
There are many things that cannot be proven. Nobody can conclusively prove to everyone's satisfaction that:
- there are external objects
- life is not but a dream (Actually, I am satisfied that I can prove this one, but others disagree)
- Oswald killed JFK
- Obama was born in the USA
- smoking causes cancer
- w:Goldbach's conjectures
- even: the Earth orbits the sun (which ultimately comes down to a theory choice - either accept the Earth orbits the sun, or believe a host of other unacceptable things)
Yet people are justified in saying they "know" these things. Knowledge is generally defined as "justified true belief". Since the truth of these claims is what is being examined, the above (even if we disagree on a few) are called knowledge claims (not "claims of proof" nor "belief claims")
Many people agree that the existence of any deities also cannot be proven - but a large subset of those people make "knowledge claims" of such existence. When pressed for their source for this knowledge claim, many propound something "personal" that is inaccessible to thorough examination.
If agnosticism were just about proof, then it would be silent on the question of knowledge. This would be contrary to the etymology of the word, and to Huxley's intent in adopting the term. It would also make agnosticism even less of a distinguishable position from the position of most people, making the term even less meaningful.
Many firm theists agree there is no proof regarding the existence or non-existence of deities, but they would never count themselves as an agnostic. However, if a theist does not make *some* kind of claim (at least bordering on being) about knowledge, we might even question the firmness of their theism.
At the very least, I think the definition, if it does not replace "proof" with "knowledge", needs to mention "knowledge" --JimWae (talk) 18:44, 23 September 2009 (UTC)
- Well, the article gives a fair account of what agnosticism is. It is not really concerned with who believes what, or what their reasons are. Macdonald-ross (talk) 12:20, 28 July 2022 (UTC)
Add Some Info change
Someone can add onto this article. Frogger48 (talk) 00:47, 8 October 2013 (UTC)