Tuesday, March 6

Agnosticism & other positions

Depending on the definitions of "god (G)" preferred by different theists, I could be labeled differently by different individuals. To understand how this may work check out other posts (Part 1, Part 3) in the series.

Consider the proposition: P = G exists.

Theism

If you think P is true, then you have a belief in god. You believe that G exists. If you do not have evidence for this belief then it's a non-contingent belief aka faith. You are a Theist. Degrees of confidence for this belief is based on psychological certainty which may differ for different religious individuals.

Agnosticism

If you do not know whether P is true or false, if you don't claim to have knowledge about the existence of G, then you're an Agnostic. Agnosticism is about knowledge claim. It means "without knowledge". Now you may have a stance regarding this proposition P or not have any stance on either side after all. Which gives us the following types:

Agnostic Theist: An agnostic who is also a theist. Someone who has a belief in G but does not claim to have knowledge of its existence.

Agnostic Atheist: Someone who is Agnostic and also an Atheist.

In other words, an agnostic can suspend his judgement about G, can be with G or without G respectively.

Agnosticism could also be of two forms.

Weak or Subjective Agnosticism.

Strong or Objective Agnosticism.

Apatheism

Those who don't think or care about G.

Untheism

Those who don't even know about the concept of god. For example: A group of tribal people who were never exposed to the concept of Abrahamic god.

Ignosticism

Those who think the concept of god is meaningless. They are non-cognitivist in regard to proposition P. Again, this depends on how the theist defines his god. Sometimes the definition they give just doesn't make any sense to me.

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