AGNOSTICISM (Gr. "unknowing'), a school of thought which holds that man can know nothing of ultimate realities, or whether they exist; since, his only means of knowledge being through comparison of phenomena, the absolute could only be cognized by his senses on assuming phenomenal traits, and would then be grasped as a phenomenon and not as abso lute, the knowledge of which is therefore a con tradiction in terms. We cannot know any thing outside our own mental processes and the existence of other minds; in popular phrase, we cannot get behind the looking-glass. This does not, however, deny the absolute any more than affirm it; and most agnostics (as Clifford, one of the greatest) consider the diversity of phenomena as probably indicating a diversity in their causes. The agnostic position involves refusal to accept of the origins of the universe, of unseen powers, of a future life, or in general the metaphysical bases of religion, save as more or less probable infer ences. The current idea that it involves re
jection of these beliefs, however is entirely wrong; the agnostic does not admit that either the affirmative or the negative of them can be a subject of knowledge, and regards the atheist as less intellectually respectable than the dev otee. In point of fact, Professor Huxley, the in ventor of the term, thought the existence of beings higher than man rather probable than otherwise, and the government of the universe by a syndicate" of great spiritual es sences quite logical. The theory is practically that of the Pyrrhonist or Skeptical school of Greek philosopl yrs. See Ems.romotouv; HUX LEY, THOMAS HENRY; SPENCER, HERBERT. Con sult Stephen, Sir Leslie, Agnostic's Apology' (New York 1903) ; Ward, James, 'Naturalism and Agnosticism' (London 1899) ; Ormond A. T., 'Foundations of Knowledge' (New York 1901) ; Hyslop, J. H., 'Problems of Philosophy' (New York 1905).