Malleable Epistemology Theory

A meta‑epistemological position that epistemic standards (what counts as knowledge, evidence, justification) are not fixed across all contexts but can be changed or adapted based on practical needs, investigative goals, or social agreements. Malleable epistemology rejects foundationalist or invariantist views, arguing that communities can and do reform their epistemic criteria. It applies to debates about scientific method, legal evidence, and everyday reasoning. The theory emphasizes that better knowing often requires redesigning the rules of knowing, not just applying old ones.

Malleable Epistemology Theory Example: “The citizen science project adopted a malleable epistemology – they changed their evidentiary standards from ‘peer‑reviewed’ to ‘replicated by three volunteers’ to match their resources, not as a shortcut but as a deliberate adaptation.”

Malleable Epistemology Theory by Dumu The Void April 25, 2026