EPISTEMOLOGY

EPISTEMOLOGY

Epistemology, in a philosophical context, is the study of knowledge.​

The word itself comes from two Greek words: "Episteme" = knowledge, understanding, and "Logia" = science, study.​

The term 'Epistemology' was first used by Scottish philosopher James Frederick Ferrier in 1854. However, according to Brett Warren, King James VI of Scotland had previously personified this philosophical concept as the character “Epistemon” in 1591.

EPISTEMOLOGICAL QUESTIONS

The epistemological questions includes the following questions:

Ø What does knowledge mean?​

Ø How does a person get to know something?​

Ø What is the basis for true knowledge?

The further major questions about knowledge includes the following:

Ø What is knowledge?

Ø Who is the knower?

Ø What is to be known?

Ø What are the means of knowledge?

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is justified, true belief. It means that:​

·       The person must be able to justify the claim​,

·       The claim itself must be true, and​

·       The person must believe in it​.

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For example:​

Let us assume that a person says 'I know that people have walked on the moon'. For this to be true knowledge:​

o  It must be possible to justify that claim.

o  It must also be a fact, i.e. people have indeed been to the moon.

o  And, finally, the person must also actually believe that people have walked on the moon.

THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION

Over time, philosophical epistemology have developed into following main theories of knowledge acquisition:

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Empiricism: True knowledge is primarily founded on input from our senses. It is important to refer to experience and observations when beliefs and claims are justified and proven Ideas or traditions are not the primary, most important source for knowledge. Empiricism, emphasizes the role of experience, especially experience based on perceptual observations by the five senses in the formation of ideas, while discounting the notion of innate ideas. Refinements of this basic principle led to Phenomenalism, Positivism, Scientism and Logical Positivism.

​Rationalism: Rationalism emphasizes reason, rather than experience and observations, as the primary basis for justifying beliefs and claims.​ Thus, the rational (hence rationalism) and logical human mind is the source for new knowledge, not the material world around us.​ Rationalism, holds that knowledge is not derived from experience, but rather is acquired by a priori processes or is innate (in the form of concepts) or intuitive. Research results are verified primarily by reasoning.

Representationalism: Representationalism (or Indirect Realism or Epistemological Dualism), holds that the world we see in conscious experience is not the real world itself, but merely a miniature virtual-reality replica of that world in an internal representation.

Constructivism: Constructivism (or Constructionism), presumes that all knowledge is "constructed", in that it is contingent on convention, human perception and social experience