Changes

The abstract for the ''British Journal for the History of Science'' journal article ''Huxley and scientific agnosticism: the strange history of a failed [[rhetoric]]al strategy'' by B. Lightman declares:

The abstract for the ''British Journal for the History of Science'' journal article ''Huxley and scientific agnosticism: the strange history of a failed [[rhetoric]]al strategy'' by B. Lightman declares:

{{Cquote|Huxley's invention of the term 'agnostic' in 1869 is often seen as a brilliant rhetorical strategy. Portrayed as an effective weapon in Huxley's public debates with defenders of the Anglican establishment, the creation of scientific agnosticism has been interpreted as a turning point in the relationship between [[science]] and religion. In this paper I will challenge this interpretation of the rise of scientific agnosticism. Huxley was reluctant to identify himself unambiguously as an agnostic in public until 1883 and his restricted use of agnostic concepts during the 1870s and 1880s was compromised when other unbelievers, with different agendas, sought to capitalize on the polemical advantages of referring to themselves as agnostics. As a result, he was not always associated with agnosticism in the public mind and his original conception of it was modified by others to the point where he felt compelled to intervene in 1889 to set the record straight. But Huxley could not control the public meaning of 'agnosticism' and its value to him as a rhetorical strategy was severely limited.<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12395796 Br J Hist Sci. 2002 Sep;35(126 Pt 3):271-89.]</ref>}}

{{Cquote|Huxley's invention of the term 'agnostic' in 1869 is often seen as a brilliant rhetorical strategy. Portrayed as an effective weapon in Huxley's public debates with defenders of the Anglican establishment, the creation of scientific agnosticism has been interpreted as a turning point in the relationship between [[science]] and religion. In this paper I will challenge this interpretation of the rise of scientific agnosticism. Huxley was reluctant to identify himself unambiguously as an agnostic in public until 1883 and his restricted use of agnostic concepts during the 1870s and 1880s was compromised when other unbelievers, with different agendas, sought to capitalize on the polemical advantages of referring to themselves as agnostics. As a result, he was not always associated with agnosticism in the public mind and his original conception of it was modified by others to the point where he felt compelled to intervene in 1889 to set the record straight. But Huxley could not control the public meaning of 'agnosticism' and its value to him as a rhetorical strategy was severely limited.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12395796 Br J Hist Sci. 2002 Sep;35(126 Pt 3):271-89.]</ref>}}

Since agnosticism/atheism share the element of "doubt" in terms of supernatural claims (see also: [[Atheism and science]]).

Since agnosticism/atheism share the element of "doubt" in terms of supernatural claims (see also: [[Atheism and science]]).

''See also:'' [[Agnosticism debates]]

''See also:'' [[Agnosticism debates]]

See: [http://creation.com/could-monkeys-type-the-23rd-psalm Thomas Huxley vs. Anglican Samuel Wilberforce debate]

See: [https://creation.com/could-monkeys-type-the-23rd-psalm Thomas Huxley vs. Anglican Samuel Wilberforce debate]

== Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on agnosticism ==

== Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on agnosticism ==

[[Charles Darwin]] was an agnostic and [[evolution]]ist.  

[[Charles Darwin]] was an agnostic and [[evolution]]ist.  

There have been many [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|social effects of evolution]] in regards to its acceptance by various individuals in the course of history.  The theory of [[evolution]] has been influential in regards to [[Social Darwinism]], [[Nazism]], [[Communism]], and [[racism]].<ref>http://www.icr.org/article/454/</ref><ref>http://www.creationism.org/csshs/v09n1p04.htm</ref><ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3031/</ref><ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3054/</ref><ref>http://www.icr.org/article/55/</ref>

There have been many [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|social effects of evolution]] in regards to its acceptance by various individuals in the course of history.  The theory of [[evolution]] has been influential in regards to [[Social Darwinism]], [[Nazism]], [[Communism]], and [[racism]].<ref>https://www.icr.org/article/454/</ref><ref>http://www.creationism.org/csshs/v09n1p04.htm</ref><ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3031/</ref><ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/3054/</ref><ref>https://www.icr.org/article/55/</ref>

=== Social Darwinism ===

=== Social Darwinism ===

''See also:'' [[Evolutionary racism]]

''See also:'' [[Evolutionary racism]]

[[Evolutionary racism]] refers to a [[racist]] philosophy based on Charles Darwin's [[Evolution|evolutionary theory]].  It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others.  An example of evolutionary racism is when an evolutionary racist put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref>http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo</ref>  

[[Evolutionary racism]] refers to a [[racist]] philosophy based on Charles Darwin's [[Evolution|evolutionary theory]].  It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others.  An example of evolutionary racism is when an evolutionary racist put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref>https://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo</ref>  

Charles Darwin wrote in his work  ''[[The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'':

Charles Darwin wrote in his work  ''[[The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'':

Hitler wrote in ''Mein Kampf'':

Hitler wrote in ''Mein Kampf'':

{{cquote|The stronger must dominate and not blend with the weaker, thus sacrificing his own greatness. Only the born weakling can view this as cruel, but he, after all, is only a weak and limited man; for if this law did not prevail, any conceivable higher development (Hoherentwicklung) of organic living beings would be unthinkable.<ref>http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref>}}

{{cquote|The stronger must dominate and not blend with the weaker, thus sacrificing his own greatness. Only the born weakling can view this as cruel, but he, after all, is only a weak and limited man; for if this law did not prevail, any conceivable higher development (Hoherentwicklung) of organic living beings would be unthinkable.<ref>https://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref>}}

=== Communism  ===

=== Communism  ===

*[http://creation.com/the-darwinian-foundation-of-communism The Darwinian foundation of communism]

*[https://creation.com/the-darwinian-foundation-of-communism The Darwinian foundation of communism]

*[[Atheism and Mass Murder|Communism and mass murder]]

*[[Atheism and Mass Murder|Communism and mass murder]]

[[File:Europe map CIA 2005.jpg|thumbnail|right|165px|[[Secular Europe]] has one of the highest rates of [[agnosticism]] rates in the world.  

[[File:Europe map CIA 2005.jpg|thumbnail|right|165px|[[Secular Europe]] has one of the highest rates of [[agnosticism]] rates in the world.  

In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>

In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>

According to the agnostic scholar [[Eric Kaufmann]], in the Europe of tomorrow, immigration and religious fertility will increase the proportion of committed Christians in Europe, many from the developing world.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf  Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century] by [[Eric Kaufmann]]</ref> ]]

According to the agnostic scholar [[Eric Kaufmann]], in the Europe of tomorrow, immigration and religious fertility will increase the proportion of committed Christians in Europe, many from the developing world.<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf  Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century] by [[Eric Kaufmann]]</ref> ]]