AGNOSTICS INTERNATIONAL (Agnosticism)

by dhw, Monday, February 20, 2012, 20:28 (4658 days ago) @ romansh

DHW: Knowledge: "information which is accepted as being true by general consensus among those who are aware of it."
Belief: "information which individuals accept as being true although there is no general consensus on its truth."
I see faith simply as a strong belief, often in a religious context, which doesn't require any further definition.-ROMANSH: I think it is useful to agree on definitions. Helps with clarity of discourse. But the question remains have we defined say "knowledge" into existence? And does this remain a thought. I understand this is solipsism gone mad - but this I suspect is at the very core of agnosticism.-I don't think solipsism is at the core of agnosticism. On my commonsense level of thinking, as opposed to the grand philosophical level on which nothing can be "known", I have no trouble at all believing that you and other people exist, and think thoughts, and have beliefs. I feel I have sufficient evidence to take this great plunge, and I even suspect that your family and friends and those who are in direct personal contact with you would say they "know" you exist. But I don't have sufficient evidence to believe or disbelieve in a god or gods. Have we defined knowledge "into existence"? Again, it depends what level we're on. If by "knowledge" you mean objective truth, no, but objective truth is unattainable. My definition of knowledge does not entail objective truth, and even allows for changes in the general consensus. Once upon a time, everyone "knew" the sun went round the Earth. So I'd say yes, we've defined knowledge into existence as an intersubjective consensus, whereas the core of agnosticism is the subjective view that there is not sufficient evidence to support belief either way.