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Agnostic vs Skeptical - What's the difference?

agnostic | skeptical |

As adjectives the difference between agnostic and skeptical

is that agnostic is of or relating to agnosticism or its adherents while skeptical is having, or expressing doubt; questioning.

As a noun agnostic

is a person who holds to a form of agnosticism, especially uncertainty of the existence of a deity.

agnostic

English

(wikipedia agnostic)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person who holds to a form of agnosticism, especially uncertainty of the existence of a deity.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date = 1876-06-01
    • , first = Leslie , last = Stephen , authorlink = Leslie Stephen , title = An Agnostic's Apology , magazine = The Forthnightly Review , volume = 25/19 , issue = 114 , page = 840 , url = http://books.google.com/books?id=1WVIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA840 , passage = The Agnostic is one who asserts—what no one denies—that there are limits to the sphere of human intelligence. }}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date = 1953-11-03
    • , first = Bertrand , last = Russell , authorlink = Bertrand Russell , title = What is an Agnostic? , magazine = Look , url = http://scepsis.ru/eng/articles/id_5.php , passage = An agnostic thinks it impossible to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity and other religions are concerned. }}
  • * {{quote-book, year = 1985
    • , title = Contact: a novel , first = Carl , last = Sagan , authorlink = Carl Sagan , publisher = Simon and Schuster , location = New York , isbn = 978-0671434007 , page = 175 , passage = When I say I'm an agnostic , I only mean that the evidence isn't in. There isn't compelling evidence that God exists — at least your kind of god — and there isn't compelling evidence that he doesn't. }}

    Coordinate terms

    * deist

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or relating to agnosticism or its adherents.
  • * {{quote-book, year = 1889
    • , title = Agnosticism , first = Thomas Henry , last = Huxley , authorlink = Thomas Henry Huxley , url = http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/CE5/Agn.html , passage = In matters of the intellect do not pretend that conclusions are certain which are not demonstrated or demonstrable. That I take to be the agnostic faith, which if a man keep whole and undefiled, he shall not be ashamed to look the universe in the face, whatever the future may have in store for him. }}
    His agnostic viewpoint is summarized in his book.
  • Doubtful or uncertain about the existence or demonstrability of God or other deity.
    • She left the church when she became agnostic .
  • (computing) A software component (or other entity) that is unaware or noncommittal regarding the specific nature of the components with which it interacts; polymorphic; modular; pluggable
    • The socket communications layer is agnostic''' with regard to its underlying transport mechanism -- it is “transport-'''agnostic ”.
  • (usually with a prepositional phrase) Having no firmly held opinions on an issue or matter of uncertainty.
    • I'm agnostic on whether ethanol is a green fuel
    He says he's agnostic concerning the Secretary's claims.

    Related terms

    * agnosticism * gnostic * ignosticism

    See also

    * atheist * sceptic , skeptic (Mainly US) *

    Anagrams

    * * * * English terms with alpha privatives

    skeptical

    English

    Alternative forms

    * sceptical (British English)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having, or expressing doubt; questioning.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
    • , author=Colin Allen , title=Do I See What You See? , volume=100, issue=2, page=168 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=Numerous experimental tests and other observations have been offered in favor of animal mind reading, and although many scientists are skeptical , others assert that humans are not the only species capable of representing what others do and don’t perceive and know.}}
    My teacher was skeptical when I told her my dog ate my homework.
    I can see why people are so skeptical [sic] about him, but I think he's on to something here. (regarded by organizations such as the BBC as an error)
  • Of or relating to skepticism or the skeptics.