Share Books on Epistemology

[Joseph Maynor]

There are really no good books on epistemology.  

[Nemra]

1 hour ago, Joseph Maynor said:

There are really no good books on epistemology.  

What makes you say that?

Is there at least one book you consider to be good compared to other books?

Edited Wednesday at 08:47 PM by Nemra

[UnbornTao]

2 hours ago, Joseph Maynor said:

There are really no good books on epistemology.  

Heresy. I'm sure there are, even if they aren't strictly or formally framed as 'epistemological' works.

Gotta take a look at Being and Time and The Critique of Pure Reason.

Edited Wednesday at 09:37 PM by UnbornTao

[Joseph Maynor]

Ok, if I had to pick one maybe The Meditations by Descartes.

[Joseph Maynor]

The reason I say there are no good books on epistemology is because the knowing process ultimately cannot be outsourced.  Only the knower can discern the knowing process by direct experience not by hearsay.

[Joseph Maynor]

This is a reasonably good book on epistemology, although dense, that I read when I was a philosophy student at University.

https://www.amazon.com/Epistemology-Contemporary-Introduction-Introductions-Philosophy/dp/0415281091

Here's another one that I read when I was first getting into philosophy.  

https://www.amazon.com/Problems-Philosophy-Bertrand-Russell/dp/1534863443

You could list Kant's Critique of Pure Reason if you want to, but I'm not a huge fan of Kant.  Same comment applies to Hume and Locke, I'm not a huge fan.

Another work that touches epistemology that I like somewhat but also find stilted.

https://www.amazon.com/Tractatus-Logico-Philosophicus-Ludwig-Wittgenstein/dp/0486404455

This one is good for understanding epistemology as it was worked out in British Empiricism.  I like this work and Bacon.  He's very different from Hobbes, Locke and Hume who he influenced.

https://www.amazon.com/Francis-Bacon-Organon-Cambridge-Philosophy/dp/0521564832

This is probably one of my favorite books that covers epistemology by G.E. Moore

https://www.amazon.com/Some-Problems-Philosophy-Muirhead-Library/dp/B00CS7HL7I

The Nyaya Sutras by Gautama is the classic Hindu text on epistemology.  I can't find a version to recommend because I read the full version many years ago.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyāya_Sūtras

Edited Thursday at 02:27 AM by Joseph Maynor

[Nemra]

@Joseph Maynor, thank you.

 

[UnbornTao]

@Joseph Maynor Thanks.

[kavaris]

On 4/15/2026 at 8:21 AM, UnbornTao said:

Square One: The Foundations of Knowledge is on my to-read list.

Thats interesting. Ive had that author steve on my youtube since like, back when he started youtube. And although hes never landed within spiritual realms ~or rather, he starts material-practical, and leaves it open-ended, in regards to the -istemi to the more absolute epistemic thoughts and feelings, He's able to capture things in an articulated and well-spoken way, which i suppose is why he has become such an outspoken figure now in those specific target areas hes working w/

@Erybody,  And i gues if anyone ever asks what is meant by absolute, epistemic thoughts and feelings (again, im borrowing the term from @gettoefl) It is comparable to a dream, you could say, because its something that exists and can be experienced, and we do think of it like a feature of reality, but its indescribable and thus separated within said reality (separated conceptually by some people who need to separate things that way). That's what the absolute is  ~opposed to the absolute in some modern science realm~ the absolute can only be A) Experienced or B) Pointed toward, or only the -istemi towards it —

"istemi" being a word i made up to mean  "link / linked" or "channeled intention / direction" or something.

You prolly have to preface w/ something like that in todays day and age (Note: We've prolly had this problem since the dawn of humanity, iuno), As so many people are confused, that is, when you go out in the world, talking to people, to those people who dont have a background in actualization or self-inquisition; which again, that is many, many people, possibly even the majority of people,  theres just an overwhelming sense of speaking to those who do not have any experience w/ basic levels of self-inquiry.

Edited 3 hours ago by kavaris