Definition

1. Noun:

   • Agnosticism: A philosophical position or belief that the existence of God, the divine, or ultimate reality is unknown and perhaps unknowable. It asserts that human reason is limited and cannot attain certain knowledge about such matters.
   • An agnostic: A person who holds this belief.

2. Adjective:

   • Agnostic: Relating to or characteristic of agnosticism; describing a person who believes that the existence of God or ultimate truth is unknowable.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Agnosticism):

  • Thuyết bất khả tri cho rằng con người không thể biết chắc về sự tồn tại của thần thánh. (Agnosticism holds that humans cannot be certain about the existence of deities.)
  • Ông ấy nghiên cứu về bất khả tri. (He studies agnosticism.)

• Noun (An agnostic):

  • Anh ta là một người bất khả tri. (He is an agnostic.)

• Adjective:

  • Cô ấy có quan điểm bất khả tri về tôn giáo. (She has an agnostic view on religion.)
  • Một lập trường bất khả tri (An agnostic stance)

Advanced Usage

• "Thuyết bất khả tri": This is the standard compound term for the philosophical doctrine of "Agnosticism." While 'bất khả tri' alone can mean "agnosticism," this full phrase is often used for clarity in formal contexts.
• Used in academic, philosophical, and religious discussions to denote a specific epistemological position between theism and atheism.

Variants and Related Words

• Bất khả tri luận: Another term for "Agnosticism," emphasizing it as a doctrine or theory.
• Chủ nghĩa bất khả tri: Synonym for "Agnosticism," using "chủ nghĩa" (ism).
• Người theo thuyết bất khả tri: A person who follows agnosticism; an agnostic.

Synonyms

• Thuyết hoài nghi (in some philosophical contexts, Skepticism): While related, skepticism is a broader philosophical doubt, not exclusively about the divine.
• Thuyết không thể biết: A descriptive phrase meaning "the doctrine of the unknowable."

Related Phrases

• Thái độ bất khả tri: An agnostic attitude.
• Tính bất khả tri: The quality of being agnostic; agnosticism as a characteristic.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning revolves around the concept of unknowability ('khả tri' means 'knowable', so 'bất khả tri' literally means 'not knowable').
• It is primarily a philosophical and theological term. It is not typically used in everyday conversation about simple uncertainty.

1. thuyết bất khả tri Agnosticism