The Epistemology of Existentialism and Its Implications for Education

Epistemology or the theory of knowledge defines the foundations of knowledge. Epistemology deals with the general and basic concepts of knowledge and studies the truth, sources, and validity of knowledge. As one of the most important disciplines of philosophy, it studies the nature of knowledge and a kind of process by which knowledge was gained and analyzed. At different levels, education needs knowledge that is related to the how of creation of knowledge in human and its kinds and that is why the questions of epistemology and education are focused by the education schools and it is extremely important in contemporary times. Answering epistemological problems in every society and educational system comes from a worldview and a philosophy which is dominant in that society. One of these educational schools is existentialism. This study, based on the foundations of epistemology of existentialism, attempts to present its implications for education. The research scope of this descriptive-analytical study is the valid documents. After giving a definition of epistemology and its kinds, this study introduces the philosophical school of existentialism and its epistemological foundations as well as its implications for education.