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Agnostic vs Indifferent - What's the difference?

agnostic | indifferent |

As adjectives the difference between agnostic and indifferent

is that agnostic is of or relating to agnosticism or its adherents while indifferent is not caring or concerned; uninterested, apathetic.

As a noun agnostic

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

As an adverb indifferent is

to some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly.

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

    indifferent

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Not caring or concerned; uninterested, apathetic.
    • He was indifferent to the proposal, since it didn't affect him, either way.
  • Mediocre, usually used negatively in modern usage.
    • The long distance and the indifferent roads made the journey impossible.
    The performance of Blue Jays has been '''indifferent'' this season.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • The staterooms are in indifferent order.
  • Having no preference or bias, being impartial.
    • ''I am indifferent between the two plans.
  • * Addison
    • indifferent in his choice to sleep or die
  • Not making a difference; without significance or importance.
    • Even if one appliance consumes an indifferent amount of energy when left on stand-by overnight, together they can represent 10% of the electricity demand of a household.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Dangers are to me indifferent .
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • Everything in the world is indifferent but sin.
  • * Nathaniel Hawthorne
    • His slightest and most indifferent acts were odious in the clergyman's sight.
  • (mechanics) Being in the state of neutral equilibrium.

    • Quotations

    * , act 4, scene 1: *: Let their heads be sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knit

    Adverb

  • (obsolete) To some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very'' and ''not at all ); moderately, tolerably, fairly.
    • The face of the Moon appearing to me to be full of indifferent high mountains...

    Usage notes

    * Now obsolete, but very common c. 1600-1730.

    References

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