knowledgeclaims

Knowledge claims are statements that assert a knowledge possession or assert that a proposition is known. They function as epistemic assertions about what the world is or about what is justifiedly believed. In practice, knowledge claims can concern factual propositions, theoretical insights, or procedures and standards of justification across science, humanities, and everyday life.

In traditional epistemology, knowledge has been analyzed as justified true belief. A person is said to know p if p is true, the person believes p, and they have justification for believing p. This analysis is widely discussed and challenged, most notably by Gettier-style cases showing that justification and truth alone may not suffice for knowledge. Alternative accounts emphasize reliability, causal connections to truth, or virtue-based qualities of the knower, while debates over internalist versus externalist requirements of justification continue.

Knowledge claims differ from mere beliefs in that they are presented with epistemic warrant or justification. In science, such claims are typically supported by evidence, experimentation, and reproducible methods; in ordinary discourse, they may rely on perception, memory, or testimony. Internalist accounts demand that the justifying reasons be accessible to the knower, whereas externalist accounts allow factors outside conscious access to count as justification.

Evaluating knowledge claims involves examining the strength and relevance of evidence, coherence with other knowledge, and the reliability of cognitive processes. Social practices—peer review, replication, and scholarly consensus—also shape the status of knowledge claims.

Examples include "I know that Paris is the capital of France" and "I know that water boils at 100°C at sea level." Both are fallible and subject to revision in light of new evidence or better explanations.