The theory of knowledge is a doctrine of the process of accumulating new knowledge and how humanity comprehends the world and the cause-effect relationships operating in it. No one doubts that from generation to generation we pass on to our descendants an increasing volume of knowledge. Old truths are supplemented by new discoveries in various fields: science, art, in the sphere of everyday life. Thus, cognition is a mechanism of social communication and continuity.
But, on the other hand, many of the concepts expressed by authoritative scientists and seemed immutable, after some time showed their failure. Let us recall at least the geocentric system of the Universe, which was refuted by Copernicus. In this connection, a logical question arises: can we be completely sure that our knowledge of being is true? The theory of knowledge is trying to answer this question . Philosophy (or rather, its section studying this issue, epistemology) considers the processes that occur when comprehending the macrocosm and microcosm.
This science develops in the same way as other industries, comes into contact with them, takes something from them and, in turn, gives. The theory of knowledge sets itself a rather difficult, almost insoluble task: to understand with the human brain how it works. This occupation is somewhat reminiscent of the story of Baron Mnnhausen, and it can be compared with the famous attempt to "raise oneself by the hair." Therefore, to the question of whether we know anything about the world, as always, there are three answers: optimistic, pessimistic and rationalistic.
The theory of knowledge inevitably faces the problem of the theoretical possibility of knowing the absolute truth, and therefore must think about the criteria for identifying this category. Does it exist at all, or all of our ideas about it are highly relational, changeable, incomplete? Optimists are sure that our knowledge does not fail us. Hegel, the most striking representative of this trend in epistemology, argued that being will inevitably reveal itself to us in order to show us our riches and to enjoy them. And the progress of science is clear evidence of this.
This view is opposed by agnostics. They deny the possibility of being knowable, claiming that we perceive the world around us with our sensations. Thus, cognitive conclusions about something are just speculation. And the theory of knowledge does not know what the true state of affairs is, since we are all hostages of our senses, and objects and phenomena are revealed to us only in the form in which their images are refracted in the prism of our perception of reality. The concept of agnosticism is most fully expressed in epistemological relativism - the doctrine of the absolute variability of events, phenomena, facts.
The theory of knowledge of skepticism dates back to ancient wisdom. Aristotle suggested that one who wishes to know clearly must strongly doubt. This trend does not deny the possibility of comprehending the world in principle, as agnosticism, but calls not to be so gullible to the knowledge that we already have, dogmas and, it would seem, indisputable facts. Using the methods of “verification” or “falsification”, you can separate the grain from the chaff and, in the end, learn the truth.