Dictionary

epistemology en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /eˌpɪstɪˈmɔləd͡ʒi/ (Australia)
• (UK) audio
• audio Maryland
• /əˌpɪstəˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ (UK)
• /əˌpɪstəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (US)
• /iˌpɪstəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (US)
• /ɪˌpɪstəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (US)
• /ɪˌpɪstɪˈmɔləd͡ʒi/ (Australia)
• /ɪˌpɪstəˈmɒləd͡ʒi/ (UK)
• /ɛˌpɪstəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/ (US)

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιστήμη (epistḗmē, “science, knowledge”), from ἐπίσταμαι (epístamai, “to know”) + -λογία (-logía, “study or logic of”), from λόγος (lógos, “speech, language”). The term was introduced into English by Scottish philosopher James Frederick Ferrier (1808–1864).

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge; the theory of knowledge, asking such questions as "What is knowledge?", "How is knowledge acquired?", "What do people know?", "How do we know what we know?", "How do we know it is true?", and so on.
   • [P]hilosophers of the time [early 20th century] were primarily concerned with epistemology and the foundations of the sciences; they often spoke as if we were separated from the real world by a screen of "representations" or "sense-data"; they tended to regard our approach to the world as one of disinterested observation. 2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: The philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler’s philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review section), London, page R10:
   • Some thinkers take the view that, beginning with the work of Descartes, epistemology began to replace metaphysics as the most important area of philosophy.
2. (countable) A particular instance, version, or school thereof; a particular theory of knowledge.
   • I believe that 'intuitionism' is usually, and rightly, taken to mean Brouwer's epistemology of mathematics, which is unrelated to the origin or content of topos theory. 1995, Colin McLarty, “Preface”, in Elementary Categories, Elementary Toposes, →ISBN, page vii:
   • In his epistemology, Plato maintains that our knowledge of universal concepts is a kind of recollection.

Forms

Deriveds

ontoepistemology · epistemologic · standpoint epistemology · epistopic · logico-epistemology · epistemologist · metaepistemology · telepistemology · epistemological · epistemologically

Relateds

epistemonical · epistemic regime · epistemic · episteme · epistemically · epistemic crisis · epistemics

Synonyms

metaknowledge · epistemics · kenlore

Translations (142)

om ippistimooloojii (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · vi nhận thức luận (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ja 認識論 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kk эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · gu જ્ઞાનમીમાંસા (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cmn 理論 /理论 (particular theory of knowledge) · be эпістэмало́гія (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nn erkjenningsteori (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ca epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ga eipistéimeolaíocht (particular theory of knowledge) · gl epistemoloxía (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · yue 認識論 /认识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · es epistemología (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · yi עפּיסטעמאָלאָגיע (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sh epistemològija (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nb erkjennelsesteori (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nds-de Epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ru эпистемоло́гия (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pt epistemologia (particular theory of knowledge) · nds-de Kennistheorie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kbp epistemolozii (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · io epistemologio (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kmr epîstemolojî (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · uz эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kn ಜ್ಞಾನಮೀಮಾಂಸೆ (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · tl dalub-alaman (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ne प्रमाणशास्त्र (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · bn জ্ঞানতত্ত্ব (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · de Erkenntnistheorie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kmr zanînzanî (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ceb epistemolohiya (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · li kènnistheorie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · hu episztemológia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sk epistemológia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ms epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · oc epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ga eipistéimeolaíocht (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · mwl eipistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pms epistemologìa (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ka ეპისტემოლოგია (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pl gnoseologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · lv epistemoloģija (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · uk епістемоло́гія (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · th ญาณวิทยา (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · my အက်ပီစတမ်မိုလော်ဂျီ (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · km ទ្រឹស្ដីញាណ (particular theory of knowledge) · lt epistemologija (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cmn 知識論 /知识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nl kennisleer (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · la epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · kk таным теориясы (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · vro tiidmisteooria (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pa ਗਿਆਨਮੀਮਾਂਸਾ (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ast epistemoloxía (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ar نَظَرِيَّةْ اَلمَعْرِفَة (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sh епистемоло̀гија (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · tg эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sv kunskapsteori (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · li epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · tr bilgi kuramı (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nb epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ilo epistomolohia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nl kennistheorie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · gd eipisteim-eòlas (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pl epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · eu epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nl epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ba эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · gsw Epistemologii (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · af kennisleer (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · jam epistemalaji (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · he אֶפִּיסְטֵמוֹלוֹגְיָה (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · fi tietoteoria (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ta அறிவாய்வியல் (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · bg епистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · fa معرفتشناسی (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cy epistemoleg (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · yue 知識論 /知识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · mt epistemoloġija (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · tr epistemoloji (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · et epistemoloogia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cs epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ko 인식론 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · mk епистемологија (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · af epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · hy իմացաբանություն (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · scn epistemoluggìa (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sq epistemologji (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · it epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · id epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · da epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · da erkendelsesteori (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · hu ismeretelmélet (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · eo epistemologio (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · vro epistemoloogia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · bar Epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ia epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nan-hbl 認識論 /认识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ro epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · br epistemologiezh (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ml വിജ്ഞാനശാസ്ത്രം (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cy epistemeg (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · eo sciteorio (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · lb Epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · stq Epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nb vitenskapsteori (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cs epistemologie (particular theory of knowledge) · nn epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sw epistemolojia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · gsw Erkenntnistheorii (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · war epistemolohiya (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · tl alaman (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · km ជ្ញានវិទ្យា (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sv epistemologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · fr épistémologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pl teoria poznania (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ru эпистемоло́гия (particular theory of knowledge) · tl epistemolohiya (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sah эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · jv épistémologi (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · cmn 認識論 /认识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ar إِبِسْتِمُولُوجِيَّا (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · te జ్ఞానమీమాంస (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · af kennisteorie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · is þekkingarfræði (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · hi ज्ञानमीमांसा (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ky эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ur علمیات (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · mg epistemolojia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · nan-hbl 知識論 /知识论 (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · sl epistemologija (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · lo ຍານວິທະຍາ (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · an epistemolochía (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · pt epistemologia (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · gv epistemoaylleeaght (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · ce эпистемология (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · az epistemologiya (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · fi tietoteoria (particular theory of knowledge) · de Epistemologie (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · es gnoseología (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · el επιστημολογία (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge) · uz epistemologiya (branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge)