Epistemology is the study of knowledge, asking questions such as: “what is knowledge?” and “how do we know something?” For human geographers, an appreciation of epistemology is important in order to critically assess the reliability of knowledge developed in the discipline, but also in understanding how knowledge plays ...

Why do we need to study epistemology?

It is the philosophical study of its nature and scope. The study of epistemology in philosophy is important because it helps us evaluate what we see or perceive. It helps us determine the true from the false and helps us gain productive knowledge i.e. knowledge that we can actually use to benefit oneself and others.

Do we need epistemology?

Epistemology is important because it influences how researchers frame their research in their attempts to discover knowledge. By looking at the relationship between a subject and an object we can explore the idea of epistemology and how it influences research design.