@igm,
In response to my question, “What certainties do you have?” you responded:
Quote:No positive certainties only negative ones... e.g. there is no proof nor can there be, that a creator god exists. This is the absence of a belief in a creator god.
Well I agree that there doesn’t seem to be any proof that a creator god exists, but I defy you to show that “nor can there be” is logical.
In any case, the only certainty you are offering here is: You are certain you have an absence of belief in a creator god.
Fine.
Quote:The word 'agnostic' is superfluous.
Wow. And what would you say if I suggested the word “atheist” is superfluous?
Quote:If I come to a fork in the road and I'm not sure which to take I think to myself 'I don't know which road to take'. I don't make up a word to stand for my indecision.
Really! But that is because you have the word “indecision” to use. When I am in a discussion with atheists and theists about these issues, I have the word “agnostic” to use. It is not superfluous…it is a valid word and describes something valid (and apparently disturbing to some people.)
Quote:For that reason to define oneself as an 'agnostic' is not required... just the statement 'I don't know' is all that's required when asked if there are any deities. If we had to make words up for every time time we thought 'I don't know' ... well life's to short isn't it?
Oh, now I see the problem. You thought I made the word up. No, I did not make the word up. Thomas Huxley did. He wanted to differentiate himself from the atheists of his day—the people who were asserting there were no gods.
The English language has more words than any other language…with the idea in mind of giving names to things so one can refer to them by names rather than having to describe them.
“Atheist” is an example. One could suggest that it is superfluous, that one can simply say “I do not believe in gods and want to be lumped together with other people who do not believe in gods even if some actually go so far as to suggest there is no possibility of gods. But I think we can agree that using “atheist” is easier. Life is too short to go through all that other stuff.
Using “agnostic” also is easier.