Episztemológiá

Epi­szte­moló­giá (knowledge epistemology) is a branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge. It investigates the nature of knowledge, its origins, and its limits. Epistemology seeks to answer fundamental questions such as what it means to know something, how we acquire knowledge, and what distinguishes true belief from mere opinion.

Key concepts within epistemology include belief, justification, and truth. A central problem is the "problem of justification," which asks what makes a belief justified. Different theories of justification have been proposed, including foundationalism, coherentism, and reliabilism. Foundationalism suggests that some beliefs are self-evident or basic and form the foundation for other beliefs. Coherentism argues that a belief is justified if it coheres with a system of other beliefs. Reliabilism proposes that a belief is justified if it is produced by a reliable cognitive process.

Epistemology also explores the sources of knowledge, such as perception, reason, testimony, and memory. Empiricism emphasizes the role of sensory experience, while rationalism highlights the importance of reason and innate ideas. Skepticism, a prominent theme in epistemology, questions the possibility of certain knowledge and challenges the validity of our claims to know. Various forms of skepticism exist, ranging from global skepticism about all knowledge to more localized skepticism about specific domains. The ongoing inquiry into these questions continues to shape our understanding of what knowledge is and how we can attain it.