How We Know What We Know

Epistemic Dependence

The term Epistemic Dependence was first coined by Alvin Goldman in his 1976 paper “A Causal Theory of Knowing.” Goldman defined Epistemic Dependence as “the relation that holds between one belief and another when the former depends on the latter either for its status of knowledge or for whatever justification it has.”

Epistemic Dependence is the idea that our knowledge is dependent on the knowledge of others. In other words, we typically know what we know because others have come before us and shared their knowledge with us. This is a fundamental concept in science, as it means that our understanding of the world is built on the work of previous generations of researchers and scientists.

Sir Isaac Newton‘s quote “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” is a perfect expression of Epistemic Dependence. Newton was acknowledging that his own work was built on the work of the giants who came before him, such as Galileo, Kepler, and Descartes. Without the knowledge that these giants had shared, Newton would not have been able to see as far as he did.

In today’s world, Epistemic Dependence is even more important than it was in Newton’s time. The amount of knowledge that is available to us is staggering, and it is impossible for any one person to know it all. This means that we all rely on the knowledge of others to a greater extent than ever before.

The next time you are working on a research project, take a moment to think about the giants on whose shoulders you are standing. Acknowledge their contributions to your work, and be grateful for the knowledge that they have shared with you.

Epistemic Dependence is a fundamental principle of science. It is a reminder that our knowledge is built on the work of those who came before us. We should all be grateful for the knowledge that has been shared with us, and we should strive to share our own knowledge with others so that they can build on our work in the future.

Examples

• Internet
  The development of the internet is a product of Epistemic Dependence. The internet is a vast network of information that has been created by millions of people around the world. Each person who contributes to the internet shares their knowledge with others, and this allows us to all access a vast amount of information that would not be possible otherwise.
  
• Language
  The development of language is also a product of Epistemic Dependence. Language is a shared system of communication that allows us to share our knowledge with others. The language that we speak is the result of centuries of evolution, and it is constantly evolving as we learn from each other.

These are just a few examples of how Epistemic Dependence is a fundamental principle of our knowledge. We all rely on the knowledge of others to a greater extent than we may realize. When we acknowledge our Epistemic Dependence, we are not diminishing our own achievements. Instead, we are recognizing the contributions of others to our knowledge.

Additional Thoughts

• However, one should recognize that Epistemic Dependence can also be a source of bias. If not carefully considered, we may end up relying on the knowledge of others without critically evaluating it. This can lead us to believe things that are not true. Thus, in certain settings, such as when you seek to improve a product, service , field, etc. by one or several orders of magnitude, you typically search for a significantly different approach which often favors First Principles Thinking.
  
• It is important to be aware of our epistemic dependence and to be critical of the knowledge that we receive from others. We should always be willing to question our beliefs and to seek out new information, and change our minds about something when evidence to the contrary is presented. This often lends itself to a position of strong opinions, loosely held.

Epistemic Dependence is an important concept in epistemology, the study of knowledge. It is used to explain how our beliefs can be justified, and how we can know things. As more or less all of humankind’s complete body of knowledge is freely available on the internet today, it allows us all to stand on the shoulders of giants and build on the work of the people that came before us, and thereby make rapid progress in a vast amount of fields.

To learn more about scientific rational thinking, reasoning and methods,
check out: Wise: How to Attain a Deep Understanding of the World, History, Our Place in It, and How to Live Well