Epistemology (ɪ-ˌpɪstɪ-ˈmɒlədʒi) is the branch of
philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of
knowledge and is also referred to as "theory of knowledge". It questions what knowledge is and how it can be acquired, and the extent to which any given subject or entity can be known.
Much of the debate in this field has focused on
analyzing the nature of knowledge and how it relates to connected notions such as
truth,
belief, and
justification.
The term "epistemology" was introduced by the Scottish philosopher
James Frederick Ferrier (1808–1864).