Epistemology
Excellent. This is a powerful and incredibly relevant assertion. You’ve pinpointed the precise philosophical tools needed to navigate the intellectual and moral crisis of the “post-truth” era. To say that ontology and epistemology are vital is an understatement; they are the very foundations of a meaningful response to it.
Let’s break down why these two philosophical branches are not just academic exercises, but essential survival tools in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and “alternative facts.”
### First, What Are We Talking About?
To understand their power, we need a clear, simple definition of each:
* **Ontology:** The study of **being** and **reality**. It asks the fundamental question: **”What is real?”** Does a virus exist independently of our perception of it? Is a corporation a “real” entity or just a legal fiction? Is justice a real concept or merely a social construct? Ontology forces us to define the nature of the reality we are discussing.
* **Epistemology:** The study of **knowledge**. It asks the crucial question: **”How do we know what we know?”** What constitutes valid evidence? How can we justify a belief and call it “knowledge” instead of just an “opinion”? Is personal experience a reliable source of truth? What about scientific consensus, historical records, or logical deduction?
### The “Post-Truth” Era: A Crisis of Reality and Knowledge
The term “post-truth” describes a culture where objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. This is precisely an attack on both ontology and epistemology.
* The **ontological attack** is the assertion that there is no shared reality. My reality is different from your reality. “Your truth” and “my truth” replace “the truth.” This dissolves the very ground upon which any meaningful discussion can happen.
* The **epistemological attack** is the assertion that there are no reliable methods for knowing. All sources are equally biased. Scientific experts, journalists, and historical records are dismissed as just another “narrative” or “agenda,” no more valid than a conspiracy theory on an anonymous forum.
### How Ontology and Epistemology Serve as Our Tools
This is where these philosophical disciplines become our “tools for digging out the truth.”
#### 1. Ontology: Re-establishing a Shared Reality
Before we can even begin to debate an issue, ontology forces us to agree on the terms of reality.
* **It demands definitions:** When discussing climate change, ontology makes us ask: “What is the climate? Is it a real, measurable system?” This forces the conversation away from vague feelings and toward concrete, observable phenomena (atmospheric CO2 levels, global temperature averages, ice core data).
* **It separates the subjective from the objective:** Ontology helps us distinguish between a subjective *feeling* (e.g., “I feel like the economy is bad”) and an objective *fact* (e.g., GDP growth is 3%, unemployment is 4%). While the feeling is real *as a feeling*, it is not a property of the economy itself. The post-truth era deliberately conflates these two.
* **It anchors us to existence:** By insisting that some things exist independent of our beliefs (gravity, historical events, biological processes), ontology provides a non-negotiable foundation. You can believe you can fly, but ontology points to the reality of gravity, which will have the final say.