Presenting the background, development, and current state of affairs in EPISTEMOLOGY, this title-a volume in the Wadsworth Philosophy Topics Series--provides a concise introduction to this pertinent topic of contemporary philosophical interest. The Wadsworth Philosophy Topics Series presents readers with concise, timely, and insightful introductions to a variety of traditional and contemporary philosophical subjects. With this series, students of philosophy will be able to discover the richness of philosophical inquiry across a wide array of concepts, including hallmark philosophical themes and other themes typically underrepresented in mainstream philosophy publishing. Written by a distinguished list of scholars who have garnered particular recognition for their excellence in teaching, this series presents the vast sweep of today's philosophical exploration in highly accessible and affordable volumes. These books will prove valuable to philosophy teachers and their students as well as to other readers who share a general interest in philosophy.