Tolle Lege: An Augustinian Journal of Philosophy and Theology

Epistemology is the study of knowledge. From the philosophical point of view, philosophers try to find criteria for deciding whether certain beliefs are rational or whether inferences from evidence to conclusions are valid. A closely related topic is the study of the systems of concepts required for formulating beliefs of different kinds, for instance, concepts of space, time, matter, cause, and mind. Philosophical studies of concepts and knowledge are closely related to work in Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence aimed at modelling human minds or designing smart machines necessarily includes a study of knowledge. Knowledge about particular domains is the basis of the expertise of all expert systems. General knowledge about how knowledge is acquired, represented, and used has to be embodied in flexible systems that can be extended or that can explain their actions. A machine that communicates effectively with a variety of humans will have to use information about what people can be expected to know in various circumstances. This is especially true of a teaching machine through digital devices.

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