Agnists

Agnists is a term occasionally used to refer to individuals who subscribe to agnosticism. The more common and widely accepted term is “agnostics” or “an agnostic” for a person; “agnists” is considered nonstandard or archaic in modern usage. In some contexts, proponents of agnosticism may use “agnist” to emphasize a commitment to epistemic doubt rather than a religious identity.

Agnosticism is a philosophical position regarding knowledge claims about ultimate reality, such as the existence of gods or the nature of the universe. It holds that such claims are unknown or unknowable, or that humans lack sufficient evidence to determine their truth value. There are variations, including weak or negative agnosticism (suspension of judgment due to insufficient evidence) and strong or positive agnosticism (the view that knowledge about such claims is unattainable or unknowable).

Historically, the term agnostic was coined in the 19th century by Thomas Henry Huxley. Since then, “agnostic” has become the standard noun and adjective in English, while “agnists” has fallen out of common usage.

In modern discourse, most individuals who identify with this position describe themselves as agnostic, not agnist. The term “agnists” may appear in some writings as an unconventional variant, but it is not widely recognized in scholarly or lay usage. See also agnosticism, epistemology, and related religious and philosophical positions.