Epistemology - is the study of the process of accumulation of new knowledge about how mankind perceives the world and cause-effect relationships, acting in it.No one doubts that from generation to generation, we pass on to our descendants a growing body of knowledge.The old truths are complemented by new discoveries in various fields: science, art in everyday life.Thus, knowledge - a mechanism of social communication and continuity.
But on the other hand, many concepts expressed by reputable scientists and seemingly immutable, after some time, show their inconsistency.Let us recall the geocentric system of the universe, which was refuted by Copernicus.In this connection a natural question arises: Can we be fully confident that our knowledge of the existence are true?This question and tries to answer the theory of knowledge.Philosophy (or rather, its section studies the issue, epistemology) examines the processes occurring in the realization of macrocosm and microcosm.
This science develops in the same way as other industries, includes them in contact, takes something from them and, in turn, pays.The theory of knowledge poses a rather heavy, almost impossible task: to understand the human brain, how it works.This activity is a bit like the story of Baron Mnnhauzenom, and can be compared to the famous attempt to "raise himself by the hair."Therefore, the question of whether we know anything about the world is immutable, as always, there are three answers: optimistic, pessimistic and rationalist.
Epistemology inevitably faced with the problem of the theoretical possibility to know the absolute truth, and therefore must reflect on the criteria to identify and search.Does it exist at all, or our knowledge of it is utterly relative, variable, incomplete?Optimists are confident that our knowledge we do not fail.Hegel, the most prominent representative of this trend in epistemology, argued that being inevitably unfold in front of us, to show us their wealth and allow them to enjoy.And the progress of science this is clear evidence.
agnostics opposed this view.They deny the possibility of the knowability of being, arguing that we perceive the world around their feelings.Thus, cognitive conclusions about anything - it's just speculation.And that, what is the true state of affairs - the theory of knowledge does not know, because we are all hostages to our senses and objects and phenomena revealed to us only in the form in which their images are refracted through the prism of our perception of reality.Most fully expressed in the concept of agnosticism epistemological relativism - the doctrine of the absolute variability of events, phenomena, facts.
Epistemology skepticism goes back to ancient wisdom.Aristotle suggested that the one who wants to know clearly, should strongly doubt.This trend does not deny the possibility of understanding the world, in principle, as agnosticism, but calls are not treated as credulously to have available to us knowledge, dogmas and seemingly indisputable fact.The method of "verification" or "falsification" it is possible to separate the wheat from the chaff, and in the end, to know the truth.
