The increasing frequency with which I hear scientists misuse the word “agnostic” is starting to annoy me. It’s usually used to mean “I don’t have a strong preference”: for example, “I’m agnostic as to protocol – I could go either way if someone else has a strong opinion” when discussing how to conduct an experiment.
This is not what agnostic means!What it does mean is “I don’t believe it’s possible to know the right answer”. So when you say you’re agnostic as to protocol, it means you don’t think it’s possible to know how to choose the right experimental method. (This may actually be true in some cases, but I doubt it’s what most speakers mean).
A plague of protocol fundamentalism upon people who misuse the word agnostic!
(I don’t mind the South Park episode about militant agnostics, though. That was pretty damn funny).
