# Epistemology **Domain:** Philosophy / Knowledge / Cognition **Doc Type:** Field Node **Maturity:** Developed ## Definition **Epistemology** is the branch of philosophy that studies knowledge: what it is, how it is acquired, how beliefs are justified, and where the limits of knowing lie. The word combines the Greek *epistēmē* (knowledge) and *logos* (account or study). Classical questions include whether knowledge comes chiefly from reason or from experience, what separates knowledge from true belief, and how far perception, testimony, and inference can be trusted. Its companion field, [[wiki/Ontology|ontology]], asks what exists; epistemology asks how anything comes to be known. ## Corpus Context Bryant McGill returns often to epistemology alongside ontology and "the meaning of meaning," treating the question of how people know as practical: understanding how knowledge is formed is a route to understanding and directing personal power. The corpus develops the field through many narrower nodes, from the boundaries of knowledge to the protection of judgment against manipulation. ## Relationships - **Companion field:** [[wiki/Ontology|Ontology]]. - **Meaning and signs:** [[wiki/Semiotics|Semiotics]] · [[wiki/Semantics|Semantics]]. - **Limits and posture:** [[wiki/Epistemic Limits|Epistemic Limits]] · [[wiki/Epistemic Humility|Epistemic Humility]] · [[wiki/Epistemic Uncertainty|Epistemic Uncertainty]]. - **Judgment and defense:** [[wiki/Epistemic Hygiene|Epistemic Hygiene]] · [[wiki/Epistemic Vigilance|Epistemic Vigilance]] · [[wiki/Epistemic Sovereignty|Epistemic Sovereignty]]. - **Broadcast source:** [[livestreams/Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1 - Livestream|Reclaiming Selfishness, Balance, and the Whole Self, Part 1]], June 1, 2016. ## See Also [[wiki/Knowledge Representation|Knowledge Representation]] · [[wiki/Non-Observation|Non-Observation]] · [[wiki/Linguistics|Linguistics]]