Non-theistic · nontheistic

Agnosticism

A claim about knowledge rather than about God: the question is not settled and the honest response is suspension. Sits mid-scale on the A-group with small dispersions, because being genuinely undecided is a definite position, not a vague one.

What makes it unusual

The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.

B3 Institutional authorityindividual conscience decidesFurther toward "individual conscience decides" than most traditions in the matrix.
D2 Centrality of ritualoptional or absentFurther toward "optional or absent" than most traditions in the matrix.
B1 Source of truthreason and direct experienceFurther toward "reason and direct experience" than most traditions in the matrix.
A1 Divine realitybetween nothing beyond the natural and a divine reality certainly existsFurther toward "nothing beyond the natural" than most traditions in the matrix.

All seventeen positions

Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.

The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.

position
tolerated variation

A · The divine

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists	between nothing beyond the natural and a divine reality certainly existsHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.45	0.15
A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address	between impersonal principle or order and a personal being one can addressHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.45	0.18
A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits	leaning strictly oneHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.35	0.18
A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it	between wholly beyond the world and fully present within itHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.45	0.20

B · Knowledge and authority

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience	reason and direct experienceHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.92	0.06
B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all	metaphorical, or no text at allHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.88	0.08
B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides	individual conscience decidesHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.92	0.06

C · Self and destiny

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form	between ends at death and continues in some formHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.40	0.22
C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return	leaning one life, then judgmentHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.30	0.20
C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound	leaning ignorant but fundamentally soundHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.75	0.15

D · Practice

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight	leaning achieved by effort or insightHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.82	0.12
D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent	optional or absentHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.85	0.10
D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated	leaning to be celebratedHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.68	0.15

E · World and others

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths	leaning many valid pathsHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.82	0.12
E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural	leaning beginningless or naturalHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.78	0.15
E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice	an individual choiceHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.90	0.07
E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred	between creation, given for use and animate and itself sacredHuxley’s 1889 essay on agnosticism and contemporary epistemic treatments	0.52	0.18

Compared with

Where do you sit?

The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.