Epistemology is the study of knowledge. By what conduit do we

Theodore Bikel, artist, thinker, and seeker of wisdom, once asked a question that pierces the very root of philosophy: “Epistemology is the study of knowledge. By what conduit do we know what we know?” In this utterance, he names the discipline that has haunted the minds of sages for millennia. Epistemology is not a dry word—it is the inquiry into the very foundations of our existence. It asks: What is knowledge? How do we acquire it? By what path does truth flow from the world into our minds, and how can we trust the vessel that carries it?

The origin of this thought lies in the work of philosophers both ancient and modern. Plato pondered whether true knowledge comes from reason, memory of eternal forms, or the shifting senses. Aristotle declared that knowledge arises from careful observation of the world, shaped by logic. Centuries later, Descartes doubted everything but the certainty of his own thinking—“I think, therefore I am.” In every age, humanity has returned to this question: “By what conduit do we know what we know?” Bikel, though a man of the arts, spoke here with the voice of philosophers, reminding us that no pursuit is higher than to examine the roots of our own understanding.

Consider the story of Galileo Galilei, who dared to look through the telescope and proclaim truths that contradicted the wisdom of his age. His senses told him of moons circling Jupiter, of phases on Venus, of the Earth moving around the sun. But his enemies asked: could the senses be trusted? Was his knowledge true, or an illusion? His struggle was not only with the Church but with epistemology itself—the question of whether the eye could reveal truth or deceive it. From his trial, we learn that the conduits of knowledge—senses, reason, testimony—must be tested, weighed, and strengthened.

History also gives us the example of Helen Keller. Deaf and blind, she was cut off from the ordinary conduits of sight and sound. Yet through the patient hand of Anne Sullivan, she discovered that language and meaning could flow even through touch. For her, the conduit of knowledge was not the eye or the ear, but the hand pressed into hers. Her life shouts the answer to Bikel’s question: knowledge can reach us by many paths, if the will to learn and the discipline of teaching are present.

The meaning of Bikel’s words is therefore both profound and humbling. They remind us that knowledge is not simple possession but a journey. Each of us must examine the ways by which we claim to know—whether through senses, reason, tradition, or revelation. To accept blindly is to risk deception; to question is to walk the path of wisdom. The question “By what conduit do we know?” is a mirror to our own minds, forcing us to ask whether our beliefs rest on sturdy foundations or shifting sands.

The lesson for us is this: do not be content with easy answers. When you claim to know something, ask yourself—how do I know this? By whose testimony, by what observation, by what reasoning? Do not despise doubt, for doubt is the guardian of truth. To examine the conduit of knowledge is not to weaken it, but to purify it. In this way, you protect yourself from falsehood and prepare your mind for deeper wisdom.

Practical steps follow. When you read, ask who speaks and by what authority. When you see, question whether your senses may deceive you. When you reason, test whether your logic is sound. Seek knowledge from many conduits—books, experience, conversation, reflection—and compare them as a jeweler examines stones, discerning true gems from counterfeits. Above all, remain humble, knowing that all knowledge is partial, and that wisdom is not only in knowing but in recognizing the limits of what we know.

So let Bikel’s words echo as an eternal call: “Epistemology is the study of knowledge. By what conduit do we know what we know?” Carry this question in your heart. Let it unsettle you, sharpen you, guide you. For in seeking the answer, you will not only grow wiser—you will become more fully human, walking in the light of truth with eyes open and mind aflame.