Are the terms atheist and agnostic mutually exclusive?

[McCulloch]

The two [atheist and agnostic] are not mutually exclusive.

Agnostics and atheists hold different positions, that’s why the two terms exist in the first place.

Are the terms atheist and agnostic mutually exclusive? What precisely do each of these terms currently mean?

[McCulloch]

‘Atheism’ means the negation of theism, the denial of the existence of God.

[Joe1950]

An agnostic claims that the question of the existence of god is not knowable, therefore he does not accept the existence of god. But he does keep open the possibility.

An atheist knows that god does not exist.

Or, as some might say, an agnostic is an atheist who does not have any guts.

[Divine Insight]

Are the terms atheist and agnostic mutually exclusive? What precisely do each of these terms currently mean?

I personally believe the term "atheism" to be highly ill-defined, especially the way it seems to be used today. Different people seem to use it to mean different things.

You posted the following definition:

‘Atheism’ means the negation of theism, the denial of the existence of God.

I personally find this definition to be extremely ambiguous and potentially misguided. To begin with I would think that the "negation" of theism would be "anti-theism" not merely "atheism". I would prefer to see this defined as being 'without theism". To simply mean that an atheist neither embraces nor supports any specific theism.

Also, the "denial of the existence of a God" sounds like it was written by a Christian fundamentalists who wants to accuse atheists of being in "denial". I think many atheists actually have very solid reasons for rejecting the gods of most theologies without any need to be in "denial" of them. Knowing that they are self-contradictory theologies is not the same as being in denial of the existence of their gods.

I personally prefer not to use the term "atheism" precisely because it is so grossly ill-defined even by popular dictionaries such as the Standard Dictionary of Philosophy. However, if atheism simply means "without theism", then I would qualify as an atheist by that meaning of the term.

I prefer to use the term "agnostic", when it comes to the abstract philosophical question of whether or not a "God" might actually exist. I personally feel that it's very likely there is no such thing as a "God", but if there were such a thing it would most likely be something like the "God" of Buddhism, or Taoism, or some other abstract pantheistic view.

However, when it come to the God of Abraham, Judaism, Christianity, or Islam I do not claim to be agnostic at all. To the contrary, when it comes to those obvious fables I am extremely gnostic and even a strong anti-theist.

I know for absolute certainty that the Biblical God cannot exist as it is described in the Bible. It's simply too self-contradictory. Such a self-contradictory entity cannot be true. Pure and simple.

Not only that but the Abrahamic religions are so filled with extreme ignorance, arrogance, and outright hatefulness toward anyone who doesn't believe in their specific branch or cult of these religions. This isn't only true of Judaism, Christianity and Islam which clearly hate each other, but it's even true within each of these disagreeing divisive sects. For example Christianity has split into thousands of disagreeing sects that pretty much hate each others guts.

So these religions not only have nothing to do with any God, but they clearly don't even represent what a "God" is supposed to be like. They might preach "love" in Jesus name, but in truth they use Jesus as the greatest weapon of mass hatred in all of religion.

So I'm not agnostic when it comes to something like Christianity, I know for absolute certainty that it's a false religion created by men for the purpose of hating others in the name of their fictitious God.

I'm far more than merely "atheistic" when it comes to the Abrahamic religions, I'm very profoundly anti-theisitic. These religions are so hateful that they are like a cancer on humanity that bring no good and only bring hatred and division between the disagreeing sects of their own theologies. Not to mention their extreme hatred of anyone who rejects their theologies entirely.

I make no apologies for this ramble that may appear to many to be emotionally driven. But trust me the only emotion behind this post is the emotion of disgust. These religions are disgusting IMHO. The world would have been far better off had they never existed.

[wiploc]

The two [atheist and agnostic] are not mutually exclusive.

Agnostics and atheists hold different positions, that’s why the two terms exist in the first place.

Are the terms atheist and agnostic mutually exclusive? What precisely do each of these terms currently mean?

Theists believe that gods exist.
Atheists (everybody else) don't.

The gnostics know (or think they know) whether gods exist.
The agnostics (everybody else) don't.

My mother said she struggled with her faith every day. She was an agnostic theist.

I believe that no gods exist (strong atheism) but I don't know it for sure. I am an agnostic atheist.

[Joe1950]

No reason to over complicate the terms.

Atheism is very clearly defined. An atheist knows that god does not exist. Simple.

An agnostic claims that whether god exists is unknowable.

I don't think be an agnostic-atheist because the terms describe two different ideas.

If you are pantheistic or Buddhist you believe some kind of god or gods exist, so you are not an atheist. Nor are you an agnostic, for the same reason. You do believe in some type of supreme being.

If you don't know or don't think it an be known, then you are an agnostic.

[Divine Insight]

Atheism is very clearly defined. An atheist knows that god does not exist. Simple.

Where is atheism defined as "Knowing that no god exists"?

In fact, this is precisely why I refuse to use this label of "atheist". Apparently there are people out there who think that atheists claim to "know" there is no god.

That is totally false.

In fact, anyone who claims to "know" that there is no god is just as much of an extremist as a fundamental theist who claims to "know" that their god does exist.

[McCulloch]

I personally believe the term "atheism" to be highly ill-defined, especially the way it seems to be used today. Different people seem to use it to mean different things.

You think atheism is ill-defined. Try finding a commonly accepted meaning for agnosticism!

[Joe1950]

Atheism is very clearly defined. An atheist knows that god does not exist. Simple.

Where is atheism defined as "Knowing that no god exists"?

In fact, this is precisely why I refuse to use this label of "atheist". Apparently there are people out there who think that atheists claim to "know" there is no god.

That is totally false.

In fact, anyone who claims to "know" that there is no god is just as much of an extremist as a fundamental theist who claims to "know" that their god does exist.

Merriam Webster Dictionary:
a : a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods
b : a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods

Definition of belief:

: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence belief in the validity of scientific statements

So, when I say an atheist "knows" there is no god I am using these two definitions. I understand that some folks do not like to use the word "know" but I prefer it since the use of the word "belief" to many implies an unsupported opinion. i concede that "belief" is an acceptable term, as long as it is understood to mean "belief" as defined in the sense in which I defined it (from Merriam-Webster) and not in the sense of just an unsupported opinion.

[wiploc]

Merriam Webster Dictionary:
a : a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods
b : a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods

Definition of belief:

: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence belief in the validity of scientific statements

So, when I say an atheist "knows" there is no god I am using these two definitions. I understand that some folks do not like to use the word "know" but I prefer it since the use of the word "belief" to many implies an unsupported opinion. i concede that "belief" is an acceptable term, as long as it is understood to mean "belief" as defined in the sense in which I defined it (from Merriam-Webster) and not in the sense of just an unsupported opinion.

Notice that "lack of belief" comes before "disbelief" in the dictionary. Notice also that "disbelief" defines in two different ways: It can be lack of belief or it can be belief in the opposite.

So Merriam-Webster is saying that any nontheist is an atheist. We can be strong atheists (who believe that gods do not exist) or weak atheists (who don't believe either way) and we are still atheists.

There's nothing in there about having to know that gods don't exist.