Gnoseology is one of the branches of philosophy that is also known as the theory of knowledge and its object is the study of human knowledge in general, related to its origin, nature and scope. This analyzes the origin of knowledge of the individual and its forms. This branch is responsible for studying the different types of knowledge that can be achieved and the possible problem in its foundation. In several situations it is identified with the theory of knowledge or epistemology precepts, generally explained in the pdf gnoseology that abound on the web.
What is gnoseology
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Gnoseology etymology refers to a Greek origin, which defines γνωσις or gnosis as knowledge or alludes to the faculty of knowing, in addition, the voice λόγος or logos is added, which means theory, doctrine or reasoning and, finally, the suffix ia that refers to quality. Epistemology can be described as the general theory of knowledge that is reflected in the agreement of thought between the individual and the object. On this plane, the given object is something external to the mind, that is, a phenomenon, an idea, a concept, etc.
Although it is a situation external to the mind, it is consciously observed by the individual. Many times gnoseology and epistemology tend to be confused and although the latter is also a theory of knowledge, however, it differs from the former because it is related to scientific knowledge, that is, to scientific research and all those laws, principles and related hypotheses.
The main objective of this branch is to reason and meditate on the root, principle, essence, nature and the limitations of knowledge or the action of knowing.
Characteristics of gnoseology
The gnoseología has a number of features that differentiate it from other branches of psychology. The first characteristic is its origin in ancient Greece, as it was born from the Platonic dialogue Theethetus. It also manages to study each type of existing knowledge, from its origin to its own nature at a general level, this means that it does not focus only on particular knowledge.
An example of this is the study of biology, chemistry and mathematics. Another characteristic is that it can differentiate practical, proportional and direct knowledge, three types of basic knowledge.
Within the characteristics, there are also two ways to acquire knowledge, this is through the senses and reason, in addition, it establishes justification as the main problem (and means of identifying gnoseology), this is because, In different circumstances, a belief also tends to be called knowledge. It is said that there are some branches of gnoseology that are related to the types of knowledge (dogmatism, criticism, exceptionalism, realism, etc).
History of gnoseology
To talk about the history of this matter, it is essential to mention the representatives of gnoseology. As mentioned previously, the first studies of gnoseology were carried out in ancient Greece through the dialogues of Theetetus, whose analysis and classification of the different studies gave the world a before and after.
Another of the philosophers who made contributions to gnoseology was Aristotle, who stated that knowledge was obtained empirically, that is, through the senses, in addition, he made the first metaphysical explanations in the world.
But the Middle Ages also played a leading role in the matter, as more philosophers raised new theories and contributions to gnoseology. Saint Augustine raised the theory of knowledge as an achievement through divine intervention and, later, Saint Thomas Aquinas took Aristotle's theories and established a series of bases for his theory of knowledge, demonstrating a marked rejection towards the realistic point and nominalist that the philosopher possessed.
On the other hand, during the Renaissance many advances in knowledge were made, this was thanks to the creation of useful instruments that gave a much greater rigor to science and to the rest of the existing studies at that time.
Approximately in the seventeenth century, scholars such as Francis Bacon and John Locke fully defended that one of the main sources of knowledge was empiricism, in fact, they went quite deep into the studies of knowledge and its full relationship with man.
Later, between 1637 and 1642, the famous René Descarte made the publication of the discourse of the method and the metaphysical meditations, there, he established a methodical doubt as one of the resources to obtain secure knowledge and, thanks to that, the rationalist current was born.
Rationalism and empiricism were transformed into two imperative currents of the time until Immanuel Kant proposed the theory of transcendental idealism, which established that man could not be considered a passive entity, but that this was part of the progressive process in obtaining of knowledge.
In fact, Kant introduced two types of knowledge at that time, the first was of a priori characteristic, which is the one that does not need any type of demonstration, since it is universal. The second is a posteriori feature, which does need to be demonstrated through different tools that can verify its veracity. At this point, another subbranch of gnoseology was born whose name is German idealism. All this appears in different examples of authors in pdf gnoseology.
Problems of gnoseology
This subject has a series of considerations related to the problems of knowing, learning or acquiring knowledge, within them is the possibility Why? since philosophers tend to question the possibility of knowledge in the object of study, it really is something complex.
Another notable problem is the true origin of knowledge, in fact, scholars question whether it really comes from reason or experience. Finally, there is the essence. Philosophers have the questioning of the true importance between the subject and the object.
And although all the points explained above are part of the problems related to theories of knowledge, there are three more that remain as main problems of gnoseology, these are justification, induction and deduction.
Justification problem
The true difference between belief and knowledge is questioned. When it comes to knowledge, it is assumed that something is true, that it has a reason to be, that it is reliable, with justification and with justified theories, worth the redundancy. But if none of this is concatenated, then it would not be self-knowledge, but a belief, conviction or opinion.
Justification is seen as a problem for epistemology due to the complex verification method and the contradiction between accepting a belief or knowledge.
Induction problem
The basic problem of induction is whether it produces knowledge. Induction goes hand in hand with justification and this is contemplated in the definition elaborated by Plato, who mentions that knowledge is a true and justified belief. If the justification is wrong, then there is no induction and, as a result, there is no knowledge.
According to David Hume, there are two kinds of human reasoning, the first is about the relationship of ideas (abstract concepts) and the second is about facts (empirical experience).
Deduction problem
This comes from the philosophy of logic and tries to justify the deductive methods that are typical of the formal sciences. In them, they suppose a necessary justification. Deduction is a clear challenge for the different types of justification that must be carried out a priori, because while a word or a sentence has true and quickly understood justifications, the logic of deduction indicates that different investigations and theories have to be carried out to see if really that sentence is true and justifiable.
5 examples of gnoseology
When speaking of knowledge, one can refer to one ordinary and the other scientific. In the first point, you can have knowledge about different daily or basic aspects of life and that help the human being to live fully, now, with knowledge at a scientific level, it is about systematized and organized ideas that govern different subjects, for For example, legal gnoseology. In this section some examples of gnoseology in both aspects can be mentioned.
- Learn to drive (ordinary reference)
- Laws that govern modern society (scientific reference)
- Learn about math (ordinary reference)
- Laws of nature and the origin of living beings (scientific reference)
- Learn to swim (ordinary reference)
