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Epistemology or theory of knowledge
is the branch of philosophy that
studies the nature and scope of
knowledge and belief. The term
"epistemology" is based
on Greek words or episteme (knowledge
or science) and or logos (account/explanation);
it was introduced into English
by the Scottish philosopher James
Frederick Ferrier (1808-1864).
Much
of the debate in this field has
focused on analyzing the nature
of knowledge and how it relates
to similar notions such as truth,
belief, and justification. It
also deals with the means of production
of knowledge, as well as skepticism
about different knowledge claims.
In other words, epistemology primarily
addresses the following questions:
"What is knowledge?",
"How is knowledge acquired?",
and "What do people know?".
There
are many different topics, stances,
and arguments in the field of
epistemology. Recent studies have
dramatically challenged centuries-old
assumptions, and the discipline
therefore continues to be vibrant
and dynamic. |
