Ontology and Epistemology - University of Idaho

So ontology is about what is true and epistemology then is about methods of figuring out those truths. The split between Plato and Aristotle is both ontological ... OntologyandEpistemology   Ontology:  Thebranchofmetaphysics(philosophyconcerningtheoverallnatureofwhat thingsare)isconcernedwithidentifying,inthemostgeneralterms,thekindsof thingsthat actuallyexist. Inotherwordsaddressingthequestion: Whatisexistence?andWhatisthe natureofexistence? Whenweaskdeepquestionsabout"whatisthenature oftheuniverse?"or"Isthereagod?"or"Whathappenstouswhenwedie?"or "Whatprinciplesgovernthepropertiesofmatter?"weareaskinginherently ontologicalquestions.   Epistemology:Thebranchofphilosophyconcernedwith thenatureofknowledgeitself,itspossibility,scope,and generalbasis.  Morebroadly:Howdowegoaboutknowingthings?orHowdoweseparatetrue ideasfromfalseideas?orHowdoweknowwhatistrue? or"Howcanwebeconfidentwhenwehave located'truth'?" "Whatarethesystematicwayswecandeterminewhen somethingisgoodorbad?"    Soontologyis aboutwhatistrueandepistemologythenisaboutmethodsof figuringoutthosetruths.    ThesplitbetweenPlatoand Aristotleisbothontologicalandepistemic. Thesplitbetweenreligion andscienceisbothontologicalandepistemic.  Forexample,religionandscienceoffer twoverydifferentontologies(theoriesaboutwhatisoutthere)and epistemology(waystofigureoutwhatisoutthere).  Andthesplitbetween PlatoandAristotlematchesexactlythesplitbetweenreligionandscience...and youshouldleavethisclassunderstandingwhyandhow! See Plato vs.Aristotle