Epistemology Explained: Knowledge from Plato to AI

What is epistemology, really?

In this video, I introduce epistemology—the branch of philosophy concerned with knowledge, understanding, and rational belief. Starting from its Greek roots (epistēmē and logos), I explain both the standard definition (the study of knowledge) and a broader way of thinking about it as the study of cognitive success.

We walk through a simple, Feldman-inspired approach:

we know some things, that knowledge seems to come from sources like experience, testimony, and reasoning, and philosophical theories try to explain how that works—and where it might break down. Along the way, we touch on skepticism, error theory, and why humans might know less than we think.

I also introduce Plato’s classic Justified True Belief account of knowledge, with clear examples of what happens when belief, truth, or justification is missing—and why philosophers think that story might be incomplete.

Finally, I sketch where the conversation goes next: Gettier cases, Bayesian epistemology, peer disagreement, contextualism, and the growing connection between epistemology and AI. Can AI be rational? Can AI be part of our justified beliefs? And what would a virtue-based epistemology say about using AI well?

If you’re curious about how knowledge works—whether human or artificial—this is the place to start.