论恩格斯对不可知论的批判
On Engels’ Critique of Agnosticism

批判不可知论是对恩格斯对辩证唯物主义认识论的重大贡献之一。恩格斯基于近代西方哲学史的研究将不可知论定性为“羞羞答答的”唯物主义。不可知论者宣称自己为不可知论者的重要依据乃是对认识正确性、因果联系客观性和现象背后自在之物的怀疑，最终导致认识活动陷入窠臼。不可知论的依据在恩格斯看来可以都通过引入实践到认识活动中来破解。在批判不可知论的过程中，恩格斯吸收了黑格尔批判不可知论的有益成果并运用唯物史观解释不可知论产生和丧失意义的现实原因。恩格斯对不可知论的批判引起了切尔诺夫的独断论责难和青年卢卡奇的质疑，但得到了列宁对切尔诺夫的反击和老年卢卡奇的自我批评，这些都丰富和发展了辩证唯物主义认识论。
Criticizing agnosticism is one of Engels’ significant contributions to the epistemology of dialectical materialism. Engels, based on his research on the history of modern Western philosophy, characterized agnosticism as a “shame-faced” materialism. The important basis for agnostics to claim themselves as agnostics is their skepticism towards the correctness of knowledge, the objectivity of causal relationships, and the inherent things behind phenomena, ultimately leading to cognitive activities falling into a trap. In Engels’ view, the basis of agnosticism can be solved by introducing practice into cognitive activities. In the process of criticizing agnosticism, Engels absorbed the beneficial achievements of Hegel’s critique of agnosticism and applied the materialist conception of history to explain the practical reasons for the emergence and loss of meaning of agnosticism. Engels’ criticism of agnosticism sparked Chernov’s condemnation of dogmatism and young Lukacs’ questioning, but received Lenin’s counterattack against Chernov and old Lukacs’ self-criticism, all of which enriched and developed dialectical materialist epistemology.