The social role of knowledge

Nico Stehr

pp. 287-308

in: Marian T. Adolf (ed), Nico Stehr, Berlin, Springer, 2018

Abstract

The branch of learning that has concerned itself with the nature of knowledge in general has traditionally been philosophy. Questions it investigates are the relationship between knowledge and belief (or ideology), the validity and reliability of knowledge claims pertaining to the external world and based on sense perception, the presuppositions required for the production of knowledge and the use of language in the construction of knowledge claims.