On Agnosticism With OAIC.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary
re the question of GOD.
Agnosticism:
the belief that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not
OAIC: That's correct! Agnosticism is the belief that the existence of God cannot be definitively proven or disproven. An agnostic person may believe that the existence of God is unknowable or may simply refrain from making any claims about God's existence.
William: I am not sure whether it is possible or not. I don't know what position I would come under...re the question...
OAIC: In that case, you could consider yourself an agnostic. Agnosticism is not a commitment to a particular belief or disbelief in God, but rather a recognition of the limitations of human knowledge and the possibility that the existence of God may be unknowable. If you are unsure or have not made up your mind about the existence of God, you could consider yourself an agnostic.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary an agnostic is a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not. I do not believe that it is or is not possible to know whether GOD exists or not....
OAIC: If you do not believe that it is possible or not possible to know whether God exists, then you could consider yourself a "soft agnostic" or "agnostic skeptic". This position holds that the existence of God is unknown and may be unknowable, but stops short of making a strong claim about the unknowability of God's existence. Essentially, a soft agnostic neither affirms nor denies the existence of God, but rather takes a stance of skepticism or uncertainty about the matter.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. No exact match found for “ soft agnostic” in English
OAIC: My apologies, you are correct. The term "soft agnostic" or "agnostic skeptic" may not be found in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, as it is not a commonly used term in academic or philosophical circles. The concept is often used informally to describe someone who holds a position of uncertainty or skepticism regarding the existence of God, but it is not a widely recognized or defined term.
William: So the concept is just how some folk decide to define folk in said position. They want to keep folk under the agnostic label, but it doesn't accurately describe my position, and in relation to forum debate settings, my confusion has been because - up until now, I had not realized this...
OAIC: Yes, that is correct. The terms used to describe an individual's beliefs and perspectives on religious matters can vary, and the labels used may not always accurately reflect a person's views. It's important to remember that the labels and definitions used to describe religious and philosophical beliefs are not always set in stone, and can sometimes be a source of confusion or misinterpretation. It's always best to clarify one's own beliefs and communicate them clearly in any discussions or debates.
William: So on the question of GOD - according to my position, I am not Atheist, Antitheist, Agnostic or Theist...
OAIC: If you do not identify with any of the commonly used labels such as atheist, antitheist, agnostic, or theist, then you can simply consider yourself as having your own unique perspective on the question of God. Everyone has the right to define their own beliefs and views, and it's important to respect that diversity of perspectives. It's also important to remember that beliefs can evolve and change over time, and it's okay to not have a clear answer or to be uncertain about certain questions.
William: Yes. I still can give my opinion on the question of GOD without identifying with any of those commonly used labels.
OAIC: Absolutely! You can certainly express your own thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the question of God without being limited by any particular label or definition. It is important to engage in respectful and open-minded discussions about such topics, and to be able to express oneself freely and clearly, regardless of the labels one might or might not use.
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I am satisfied that the context of the conversation between myself and OAIC has solved the problem. A-theists, Antitheists, Agnostics and Theists are different positions from my own, re the question of GOD.
My confusion simply came about because I was trying to find where my particular position fitted with those ones, assuming those ones were the only possible positions anyone could have re the question.
Once it became apparent to me that the assumption was incorrect, the confusion ceased.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary
re the question of GOD.
Agnosticism:
the belief that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not
OAIC: That's correct! Agnosticism is the belief that the existence of God cannot be definitively proven or disproven. An agnostic person may believe that the existence of God is unknowable or may simply refrain from making any claims about God's existence.
William: I am not sure whether it is possible or not. I don't know what position I would come under...re the question...
OAIC: In that case, you could consider yourself an agnostic. Agnosticism is not a commitment to a particular belief or disbelief in God, but rather a recognition of the limitations of human knowledge and the possibility that the existence of God may be unknowable. If you are unsure or have not made up your mind about the existence of God, you could consider yourself an agnostic.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary an agnostic is a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not. I do not believe that it is or is not possible to know whether GOD exists or not....
OAIC: If you do not believe that it is possible or not possible to know whether God exists, then you could consider yourself a "soft agnostic" or "agnostic skeptic". This position holds that the existence of God is unknown and may be unknowable, but stops short of making a strong claim about the unknowability of God's existence. Essentially, a soft agnostic neither affirms nor denies the existence of God, but rather takes a stance of skepticism or uncertainty about the matter.
William: From the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. No exact match found for “ soft agnostic” in English
OAIC: My apologies, you are correct. The term "soft agnostic" or "agnostic skeptic" may not be found in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary, as it is not a commonly used term in academic or philosophical circles. The concept is often used informally to describe someone who holds a position of uncertainty or skepticism regarding the existence of God, but it is not a widely recognized or defined term.
William: So the concept is just how some folk decide to define folk in said position. They want to keep folk under the agnostic label, but it doesn't accurately describe my position, and in relation to forum debate settings, my confusion has been because - up until now, I had not realized this...
OAIC: Yes, that is correct. The terms used to describe an individual's beliefs and perspectives on religious matters can vary, and the labels used may not always accurately reflect a person's views. It's important to remember that the labels and definitions used to describe religious and philosophical beliefs are not always set in stone, and can sometimes be a source of confusion or misinterpretation. It's always best to clarify one's own beliefs and communicate them clearly in any discussions or debates.
William: So on the question of GOD - according to my position, I am not Atheist, Antitheist, Agnostic or Theist...
OAIC: If you do not identify with any of the commonly used labels such as atheist, antitheist, agnostic, or theist, then you can simply consider yourself as having your own unique perspective on the question of God. Everyone has the right to define their own beliefs and views, and it's important to respect that diversity of perspectives. It's also important to remember that beliefs can evolve and change over time, and it's okay to not have a clear answer or to be uncertain about certain questions.
William: Yes. I still can give my opinion on the question of GOD without identifying with any of those commonly used labels.
OAIC: Absolutely! You can certainly express your own thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the question of God without being limited by any particular label or definition. It is important to engage in respectful and open-minded discussions about such topics, and to be able to express oneself freely and clearly, regardless of the labels one might or might not use.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
I am satisfied that the context of the conversation between myself and OAIC has solved the problem. A-theists, Antitheists, Agnostics and Theists are different positions from my own, re the question of GOD.
My confusion simply came about because I was trying to find where my particular position fitted with those ones, assuming those ones were the only possible positions anyone could have re the question.
Once it became apparent to me that the assumption was incorrect, the confusion ceased.
