This paper defines agnostic as coined by Thomas Huxley and examines the concept from religious and scientific theoretical perspectives in 5 pages. Two sources are cited in the bibliography.
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There are a number of reasons why Thomas Huxley coined the term agnostic, some of
which are related to his own religious beliefs, some of which arise from the Christian churchs way of categorising the belief systems of individuals, and some which are a result
of the scientific theories which were prevalent at the time that Huxley lived.
For example, the interest of the scientific and religious world in the works of Charles Darwin was something
which strongly influenced the way in which Huxley defined himself. Huxley, a biologist himself, was in agreement with many of Darwins theories regarding natural selection and the way in
which human beings had evolved. However, Darwin had come into conflict with the teachings of the Christian church, since according to scriptural scholars the human race and the natural world
had not evolved gradually as Darwin asserted, but had been created by God at a specific time in pre-history and the species which existed were the same as those which
had originally been created.
Darwins theories that the different species had evolved gradually, and were in fact still evolving, therefore contradicted the dogma of the Church. Huxley considered that this