Open AccessSeeking knowledge in a social world: Epistemological pathways
Author(s) -
Meyers Eric M.,
Dirndorfer Anderson Theresa,
Sundin Olof,
Unsworth Kris
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
proceedings of the american society for information science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-8390
pISSN - 0044-7870
DOI - 10.1002/meet.1450440135
Subject(s) - sine qua non , epistemology , construct (python library) , sociology , social epistemology , knowledge production , social knowledge , knowledge management , icts , social science , information and communications technology , computer science , political science , philosophy , law , programming language , world wide web
Epistemology – the study of knowledge and knowing – is of central concern to information science (Budd, 2001; Dick, 2002; Hjørland, 2002). Jesse Shera, who coined the term social epistemology with Margaret Egan, suggested that information science is intimately connected to the “production, flow, integration and consumption of all forms of communicated thought throughout the entire social fabric” (1970: 86). Aiding people in the acquisition of knowledge thus becomes the sine qua non of information services and technologies (Fallis, 2006). As social computing and advances in information and communications technologies (ICTs) change the way we seek and use information personally and professionally, it becomes critical that information scientists understand how social processes influence knowledge acquisition. This panel explores empirically and theoretically how people seek and construct knowledge in a social world.