epistemology

Meaning

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.
2. (countable) A particular instance, version, or school thereof; a particular theory of knowledge.

Synonyms

gnoseology

theory of knowledge

cosmology

metaphysics

ontology

Translations

épistémologie

epistemología

Erkenntnistheorie

epistemologia

Epistemologie

epistemologia

gnoseología

epistemologia

gnoséologie

epistemologie

gnoseologia

Gnoseologie

epistémologie

kennistheorie

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪˌpɪstəˈmɒləd͡ʒi/

Etymology

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