The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20200508005525/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epistemology

epistemology

noun
epis·​te·​mol·​o·​gy | \ i-ˌpi-stə-ˈmä-lə-jē How to pronounce epistemology (audio) \

Definition of epistemology

: the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from epistemology

epistemologist \ i-​ˌpi-​stə-​ˈmä-​lə-​jist How to pronounce epistemologist (audio) \ noun

Examples of epistemology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Of course, people may also be weak-willed about starting to read about metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, "A new book for ‘those who don’t want millions, but an answer to their questions’," 20 Nov. 2019 Aristotelian logic and epistemology meet their match in the Indian Nyāya school, and his ethical teachings have often been compared to those of the Confucians. Peter Adamson, The New York Review of Books, "What Was Philosophy?," 17 June 2019 This point is obvious for certain aptitudes, as the field of feminist epistemology in philosophy has emphasized. WSJ, "Give No Triple Points for ‘Gender Differences’," 22 Nov. 2018 Temporalities, ontologies, and epistemologies are discussed. Nate Berg, Curbed, "Can engineering save Louisiana’s coastline?," 7 Nov. 2018 Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the information gods, play at epistemology. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Silicon Valley 'Has No Words'," 4 Apr. 2018 Yet if authenticity and consistency are among Spayd’s virtues, her vices include obtuse logic, shoddy epistemology, and the sort of common-sense conventionalism that a public editor ought to be challenging rather than championing. Will Oremus, Slate Magazine, "How Liz Spayd is squandering the most important watchdog job in journalism.," 14 Apr. 2017 Philosophers call the study of knowledge epistemology, and this approach to design is entirely epistemological. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Why a Toaster Is a Design Triumph," 20 July 2017 At what point did the Circle put a hiring freeze on anyone conversant with epistemology? Lampooning the simple-mindedness of utopian web clichés was arguably part of Mr. Eggers’s point, but much of that point is often muddled in the book. Glenn Kenny, New York Times, "Review: In ‘The Circle,’ Click Here if You Think You’re Being Watched," 27 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'epistemology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of epistemology

circa 1856, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for epistemology

Greek epistēmē knowledge, from epistanai to understand, know, from epi- + histanai to cause to stand — more at stand

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about epistemology

Time Traveler for epistemology

Time Traveler

The first known use of epistemology was circa 1856

See more words from the same year

Statistics for epistemology

Cite this Entry

“Epistemology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epistemology. Accessed 7 May. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on epistemology

Nglish: Translation of epistemology for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of epistemology for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about epistemology

Comments on epistemology

What made you want to look up epistemology? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

April 2020 Words of the Day Quiz

  • ludwig richter spring has arrived
  • Which is a synonym of disingenuous?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Add Diction

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!