Theory: Epistemology

“Understood quite broadly, epistemology is about the creation and dissemination of knowledge in particular areas of inquiry” (De Rose).

Epistemology studies how we know what we know. Where does this knowledge come from? Does it come from our families and our upbringings? From our peers? From the courses we take? Or does it come from trips and visiting foreign places?

I believe that it comes from all of these places. I believe that our knowledge is shaped by our experiences; from everything going on around us.

I feel that a lot of my knowledge is gained through the media. Media is something that most, if not all, of us come into contact with on a daily basis. Media has had an effect on my knowledge in many ways; two of them being books and television.

Books and novels are media that have definitely had an impact on my knowledge. From the time I was four years old and learned to read, books have been broadening the horizons of my knowledge. “Come and Have Fun”, the first book I ever read, taught me to maintain a balance between play and responsibilities. The “Harry Potter” books made my imagination run wild, and at the same time, taught me about the importance of family, friends and education. There were all of the books in high school English classes that forced me to read the book and relate its contents to other concepts and put my ideas into writing.

The next medium that has influenced my knowledge is television. There are many forms of television that have influenced my learning. One type is reality television. Reality television has taught me ways of life; the ways I do not want to live my life, and the ways that I do want to live my life. I do not want to grow up to be a spoiled rotten “Kristin Cavallari”, but I would like to grow up to become someone like “Lauren Conrad”. Lauren is living her dream, with a career she loves, and a lifestyle she enjoys. The next type of television that has affected my knowledge is News television. The News allows me to see other parts of the globe and what is going on in these places. It informs me of current issues that could have an effect on my life.


Works Cited
De Rose, Keith. Standford Encyclopedia of Psychology: Epistemology. 14 December 2005. 7 October 2009 .