Grundlagenfragen

Grundlagenfragen is a German term used to describe the basic, foundational questions that underlie a field of inquiry. They are questions about the most fundamental assumptions, structures, and aims of knowledge, reality and action. The formulation and prioritization of these questions shape theories, methods, and educational practice.

In philosophy, Grundlagenfragen include inquiries into ontology (What exists?), epistemology (How can we know what we know?), and ethics (What ought we do?). In the sciences, they concern the foundations of theories and models, such as the nature of explanation, causality, evidence, and the limits of inquiry. In education and curricula, they guide what counts as essential knowledge and how learning should be organized and assessed.

Discussions of Grundlagenfragen are often dialogical and interdisciplinary, reflecting different traditions and schools of thought. They are typically not settled once, but are re-evaluated as theories develop, new data become available, or methodological perspectives shift.

Historically, the term echoes the German philosophical emphasis on foundations and first principles, and it is used today across disciplines to frame debates about the assumptions underlying research and teaching.