Epistemic knowledge is a knowledge of building knowledge itself, the crucial components of involved in the process of building knowledge and the capacity of justifying the knowledge produced by science such as a hypothesis, a theory or an observational claims(diSessa, 1993; Duschl, 2007). Epistemic knowledge plays a paramount role on how we know what we know. Such knowledge enables to understand the nature of science(diSessa, 1993). Understanding nature of science demands to identify scientific theory from hypothesis as well as scientific facts from observations (Hammer, 1994; Laudato, 2010). Epistemic knowledge empowers us to construct models, which are either representational models or mathematical models(Duschl, 2008). These models are …show more content…
These are common practices of scientists. Arguments involved in science might be either hypothetico-deductive, inductive or inferential based on the topic of investigations and the availability of data. Copernicus’s argument for heliocentric system was hypothetico-deductive argument, and Kirchhoff’s current rule was a natural extension of conservation of energy, and thus it is an inductive argument. The similarity in shape between the facing coastline of Africa and South America and the thrust up of world mountain chains led Wegener to argue and reason the movement of continents as a cause. Wegener’s argument were an inference to the best explanation of how nature …show more content…
It helps the scientifically literate person to observe how scientific claims were supported by data and reasoning in science to justify the claim. Epistemic knowledge enable us to know the role of enquiry in producing knowledge, the goal of the enquiry and the methodology of the enquiry. Without solid foundation of epistemic knowledge, the level of confidence in scientific knowledge is severely hampered by the measurements related errors. Such knowledge empowers us to use physical systems and abstract models appropriately with due emphasis on their limitations. It also encourages group efforts and critical investigation of the natural world through scientific argumentation and reasoning. Peer review makes scientific claims to pass under scrutiny and, as a result, helps to root confidence in the claim. In general, epistemic knowledge is key to determine the role of scientific knowledge in identifying and addressing societal and technological issues. In conclusion, epistemic knowledge is important because it is fundamental to how we think. Without some means of understanding how we acquire knowledge, how we rely upon our senses, and how we develop concepts in our minds, we have no coherent path for our thinking. A sound epistemic knowledge is necessary for the existence of sound thinking and reasoning — this is why so much philosophical literatures involve seemingly obscure discussions
Epistemology tells us how we come to acquire knowledge and what type of limits there are on our knowledge. Berkeley’s epistemological argument is that the physical and mental world are one-in-the-same. He denies the existence of an external world and believes that the world is only a collection of ideas in our heads. We only know things to be real as we experience them and we only experience our ideas. This leads Berkeley to the conclusion that for something to be real, that means that it is the object of some type of experience. Without epistemology, people would have no reason to believe in their thoughts and actions because there would be no difference between truth and error. We need epistemology to accept reality.
The type of research conducted often depends on the epistemology of the researcher. Epistemology is considered the justification of knowledge; it is about the relationship between the researcher, knowledge, and how knowledge is created (Carter...
The epistemological concept questions “how do I know?” The epistemological dimension is how we view the assumptions of knowledge to decide what to believe (Marcia, 2008, p2). The way in which information is delivered affects how it perceived by those who receive the information. Intrapersonal dimension is how we chose and adopt the values and beliefs that we decide to live by (Marcia, 2008, p8). For example, as a student in the first phase of self-authorship, I seek my values and beliefs according to seeking acceptance from those around me, while others who may be further down the process chose their values and beliefs according to who they are. Interpersonal dimensions is the connection between yourself and with others (Marcia, 2008, p9). It is the understanding of others views and developing a mature and respectful way to interact with everyone. “Complex epistemological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal development is necessary for adults to build complex belief systems, to form a coherent sense of identity, and to develop authentic, mature relations with diverse others (Baxter Magolda, 2001).” Within this course, I believe that we have learned a bit of all of three dimensions. Reading the
Epistemology can be defined as the study of knowledge. It asks questions like, “What is knowledge?”, “Why is knowledge important?”, and “How do people gain knowledge?”. Through a lot of determination in searching for answers to these questions, epistemologists discovered that there is a lot of disagreement on such questions. Therefore, epistemologists categorized these answers in groups based on beliefs that they have about where knowledge comes from and what the limit of knowledge is. The main groups epistemologists formed are: rationalism, empiricism, and constructivism. In my opinion, the Kantian constructivism has the strongest view.
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies knowledge. It is mainly concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge. It attempts to answer the basic question of what distinguishes true or adequate knowledge from otherwise false or inadequate knowledge (Heylighen). The major branches of epistemological theory are rationalism, empiricism and mysticism. Rationalism implies that knowledge is obtained through reason and introspection. Ones ideas are justified by sense experience, but if the senses and intuition are in conflict, the sensory evidence must be discarded. In empiricism, knowledge is obtained through observation and experiment. Models and theories may be used to organize this sensory experience, but if theories contradict experience they are wrong. In mysticism, knowledge is obtained through faith, emotions or revelation but if observation or intuition contradict, the knowledge is thus deemed wrong (“Rationalism”). Doubt, as a Persian Proverb once said, is the key to knowledge. It is one of the influencing factors in the expansion of knowledge. A fact that is conside...
First of all, I demonstrate that epistemology is the study of all that encompasses knowledge. Furthermore, I support the traditional epistemological concept of justified true belief by arguing that this model is largely relied on in the expectations of current empirical data.
Epistemology is a philosophy assumption which deals with the nature and basis of the knowledge, understanding of the knowledge and authenticity of knowledge (McClean, 2012).
The quest for the absolute truth and knowledge is an unending and tiresome process in which we set out to confirm answers to questions, statement, problems, aspects of life, and theories, which are apparent in our society. The use of models as learning tools is a rudimentary and greatly helpful in understanding and answering questions. Models are fundamental in our search for knowledge as they simplify ideas to be easily interpreted by masses of populations. Being just a representation models are usually more simple then the actual concept or idea itself, this leads to the model hindering us in our search for knowledge. Models provide us with capacity to comprehend and carry out a valid assessments for real life situations, in both social sciences and natural sciences, but they all come with their hinderances to knowledge claims.
We acquire and use knowledge every day and yet we rarely stop and think about the process through which we acquire knowledge. Epistemology is an area of philosophy that deals with the questions and theories concerning knowledge (Lawhead). There are multiple theories in epistemology with the main ones being rationalism, empiricism, and constructivism. Each theory seeks to answer the important epistemological questions in their own way with some being more convincing than others. I believe constructivism provides the strongest theory of knowledge by combining elements of both rationalism and empiricism in a manner that fixes some of the flaws in each theory.
As defined in the Oxford Dictionary, epistemology is “The theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion”. From the class lecture, epistemology was defined as “facts, information,
King, P.M. & Kitchener, K.S. (2002). The reflective judgment model: Twenty years of research on epistemic cognition. In B. K. Hofer and P. R. Pintrich (Eds.), Personal epistemology: The psychology of beliefs about knowledge and knowing, (pp. 37-61). Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, Publisher.
Epistemology is the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion (Wordweb).
Philosophy covers a wide range of fundamental problems where it branches out to areas such as language, ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, logic, or epistemology – the theory of knowledge. For years, philosophers have analyzed and questions what knowledge is, its value, sources, structure, and whether we know anything at all. Epistemology questions what knowledge is and how we as humans can acquire it – which involves much debate. Though our understanding of knowledge is ambiguous, we do know that knowledge is justified, true belief.
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge. Epistemology studies the nature of knowledge, justification, and the rationality of belief. Much of the debate in epistemology centers on four areas: the philosophical analysis of the nature of knowledge and how it relates to such concepts as truth, belief, and justification, various problems of skepticism, the sources and scope of knowledge and justified belief, and the criteria for knowledge and justification. Epistemology addresses such questions as "What makes justified beliefs justified?", "What does it mean to say that we know something?" and fundamentally "How do we know that we know?"
Epistemology helped me investigate the procedure I went through for crafting the essays. I referred to books, online articles, journal and other publications to understand and justify the concepts and information. It helped me distinguish between what is false, what is true across diverse contexts, and to decide the boundaries of knowledge based on how that knowledge is acquired. I also evaluated the truthfulness of my beliefs and personal opinion. I am actuated by understanding the sources of knowledge and also the quality of the resulting knowledge – knowing its dimensions and limitations.