Iranaeus 'Against Heresies'

What is Gnosticism? Prognosis is a core concept of Gnosticism. The word comes from the Greek: gnosis, which means knowledge or insight. Characteristic of Gnostics is that they do not believe (in religious sense), but the inner moral authority set up any external authority (within Gnosticism is no ecclesiastical authority). That inner authority comes from gnosis, knowledge. However, this knowledge is not rational (learned) knowledge, but an internal knowledge (self-knowledge through self-experience) of man. Through this understanding, you will come to terms with your conscience (later know). You go in search of what is going on in yourself (re-grant) to thus understand who you really are. The word gnosis is therefore related to know the Dutch word can (And. Know, Lat. Gnoscere).