ubesluttelig

Ubesluttelig is an adjective used in Norwegian to describe something that cannot be decided or resolved definitively. It is most often used in logic, philosophy, and decision theory to refer to propositions or problems that cannot be proven or disproven within a given framework or set of axioms.

Etymology and sense: The word is formed with a prefixed negation of besluttelig, from beslutte (to decide). In technical contexts it corresponds to the mathematical concept of undecidability, rendered in Norwegian as ubesluttelig for objects that lack a determinate truth value within the specified system.

Usage: In logic, a statement may be ubesluttelig if neither it nor its negation can be derived from the axioms. This does not necessarily mean the problem is impossible to solve in an absolute sense; rather, it is undecidable within the accepted formalism. Outside formal logic, ubesluttelig can describe situations where information is insufficient or conflicting, leaving a definite decision unresolved under current constraints.

Examples: “Påstanden er ubesluttelig innenfor dette axiomsystemet.” “Beslutningen om prosjektets framtid er ubesluttelig gitt den tilgjengelige informasjonen.”

Relation to related terms: Ubesluttelig is closely related to undecidability in logic. It is distinct from terms meaning merely uncertain, ambiguous, or inexplicable, as it specifically concerns the provability or resolvability within a formal framework.

See also: Undecidable proposition, decidability, logic, philosophy, decision theory.

Notes: The term is specialized and primarily found in Norwegian-language texts on logic and related fields.