The use of epistemological concepts—truth, knowledge, justification—to defend positions that undermine genuine knowing. Epistemological Sophism invokes "truth" to silence dissent, "knowledge" to exclude alternative ways of knowing, "justification" to demand impossible standards from some while accepting flimsy evidence from others. It's sophistry about knowing: using the language of epistemology to avoid the work of knowing.
"They demanded absolute proof from her, while accepting hearsay from their own side. Epistemological Sophism: using justification as a weapon, not a standard. The rules of knowing applied differently depending on who was knowing. Epistemology became a tool for exclusion, not inquiry."
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 7, 2026
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Epistemological Sophism • Epistemological Contextualism • Epistemological Multiperspectivism • Epistemological Perspectivism • Epistemological Multicontextualism • Epistemological Pluralism • Epistemological Postmodernism • Epistemological Alienation • Epistemological Apophenia • Epistemological Biases