Episteme
From Geography
Contents |
Definition
Episteme, is etymologically derived from the Greek word ἐπιστήμη for knowledge (science).
Origins
The term epistèmè originates within the philosophical branch of epistemology. In Ancient Greece, Plato formed the basis for this philosophical branch, which was described through Socrates as one of the characters in Plato's dialogues in the Theory of Forms. Plato's Theory of Forms separates true knowledge (epistèmè) - in its purest form - from opinions (doxa). Plato referred to episteme as objects in the world of ideas. Where according to Aristotle epistèmè was scientific knowledge, and not to be mistaken with knowledge for practical means or recreation. Knowledge trough reasoning and logic. Aristotle named practical knowledge technè or phronèsis.
Contextual Understanding
Michel Foucault, for instance, came to view episteme as the system of concepts that defines knowledge for a given intellectual era (Gutting, 2005). In this sense, it is understood within the specific context of a given period rather than generalised.
"I would define the episteme retrospectively as the strategic apparatus which permits of separating out from among all the statements which are possible those that will be acceptable within, I won’t say a scientific theory, but a field of scientificity, and which it is possible to say are true or false. The episteme is the ‘apparatus’ which makes possible the separation, not of the true from the false, but of what may from what may not be characterised as scientific." (Foucault, 1980, p. 197)
Example of Episteme
As a example of episteme, we can use gravity. This is a scientifically researched and confirmed knowledge. Gravity as discovered by Newton, is the natural phenomon which gives weight to objects with mass and are attracted to the gravity field of Earth. Gravity as a concept will not change over time and is therefore a scientific episteme.
References
- Gutting, Gary. (ed.) (2005). The Cambridge Companion to Foucault. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press. USA.
- Foucault, M. (1980) Power/knowledge p. 197.
Contributors
- Published by-- Sander Linssen
- Page enhanced by-- Kolar Aparna
- Page enhanced by--DennisPrince 11:15, 26 September 2012 (CEST)
