Eorl wrote:hmmm seems to be some dispute about the terminology.
I see agnosticism as a subset of atheism rather than the other way around. Agnosticism seems like a considered view of general uncertainty open to all possibilites, whereas atheists can range anywhere from new born babies to Raeleans(?)
The Positive Atheism site seems pretty clear on definitions but I'm not sure what they base that on.
http://www.positiveatheism.org/faq/faq1111.htm#WHATISPOSATH
Indeed. Most agnostics I've known would bristle at being described as a subgroup of atheism. The agnostics I've known (and I've known many) see themselves as sympathetic allies of atheists, but see agnosticism as a completely separate ideology from atheism.
I'm sure there's probably some philosophical basis for The Positive Atheism site's particular definition, but it isn't unusual for a group, or a faction of a group, to expropriate terms and alter their definitions from the mainstream so that those terms better meet that group's purposes. When it comes to ideological 'minority' groups, they will usually define themselves/their ideological stance in such a way as to cast the widest possible net. It's great for PR purposes. Sort of like the Republicans
saying there's plenty of room in their "tent" for everyone (though one might wonder what has caused them to 'pitch' a tent :wink: ).
