Irenaeus, Siteadmin, Check users, oversight, Administrators
351,811
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 1:
Line 1: − +
no edit summary
[[Image:65375.jpg|thumb|David Hume]]
[[Image:65375.jpg|thumb|David Hume]]
'''Agnosticism''' is, in weaker forms, an affirmation of [[ignorance]] regarding the existence of a [[God]] or [[gods]], and in stronger forms, the assertion that the existence of a [[deity]] or deities is unknowable. By contrast [[Atheism]] is a strong form of [[ignorance]] that denies the existence of God.<ref>*Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014.</ref>
'''Agnosticism''' is, in weaker forms, an affirmation of [[ignorance]] regarding the existence of a [[God]] or [[gods]], and in stronger forms, the assertion that the existence of a [[deity]] or deities is unknowable. By contrast [[Atheism]] is a strong form of [[ignorance]] that denies the existence of God.<ref>*Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014.</ref> See: [[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic]]
The proponent of the weaker form does not make a claim to knowledge about existence, but he simply suspends from making a decision. A suspension of decision, in terms of [[logic]], does not have a [[truth]] value, and therefore they are not making an argument. The proponent of the stronger form goes a step further and makes a claim to knowledge by saying, ''I know that the existence of God cannot be known''.
The proponent of the weaker form does not make a claim to knowledge about existence, but he simply suspends from making a decision. A suspension of decision, in terms of [[logic]], does not have a [[truth]] value, and therefore they are not making an argument. The proponent of the stronger form goes a step further and makes a claim to knowledge by saying, ''I know that the existence of God cannot be known''.