epistemology

[ ih-pis-tuh-mol-uh-jee ]

noun

1. a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.

epistemology

/ ɪˌpɪstɪˈmɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the theory of knowledge, esp the critical study of its validity, methods, and scope

epistemology

1. The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and origin of knowledge. Epistemology asks the question “How do we know what we know?”

Derived Forms

• eˌpisteˈmologist, noun

Other Words From

• e·pis·te·mo·log·i·cal [ih-pis-t, uh, -m, uh, -, loj, -i-k, uh, l], adjective
• e·piste·molo·gist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of epistemology¹

First recorded in 1855–60; from Greek epistḗm(ē) “knowledge” + -o- + -logy

Word History and Origins

Origin of epistemology¹

C19: from Greek epistēmē knowledge

Example Sentences

Thomas Krendl Gilbert is a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell Tech and received an interdisciplinary PhD in machine ethics and epistemology at UC Berkeley.

From MIT Technology Review

After some time at the University of Heidelberg, where he became interested in philosophy, epistemology and the foundations of geometry, in 1871 he was awarded the physics chair at the University of Berlin.

From Science News

Working on my thesis proposal, on the impact of simulations on epistemology in scientific fields, where controlled experiments are impossible, I began to delve into the history of computation and simulations.

From Nautilus

He may never have heard the word epistemology, but his theory of knowledge is essentially the same as Platos.

From Project Gutenberg

This suggests that a strictly monistic epistemology, whether idealistic or realistic, does not get rid of the problem.

From Project Gutenberg

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to draw a hard and fast line between epistemology and other branches of philosophy.

From Project Gutenberg

Moral philosophy was the center of his teaching, and epistemology was only instrumental.

From Project Gutenberg

But there is another side of the problem which is, perhaps, of more importance and which epistemology generally overlooks.

From Project Gutenberg