Abstract
The prevalent semantic conflation of “information source” and “knowledge source” across academic and public domains necessitates an inquiry into their epistemic and functional particularities. This study examines seven diverse explicit knowledge sources, spanning academic publishing, formal instruction, popular science, and social media platforms, and evaluates their content from epistemological and sociopsychological perspectives. In the context of the scientific and social cognitive landscape, the analysis creates a profile of the sources in terms of potential, quality, value, and utility, altogether evaluating their capacity to provide proper knowledge. It reveals that the designation “knowledge source” is most accurately applied to scientific and educational sources, while popular science and social media are primarily “information-based.” Academic social networks occupy an intermediate epistemic position as “knowledge-oriented.” These findings contribute to ongoing debates regarding the classification of sources as either knowledge providers or mere information channels, advocating for a comprehensive approach to traditional and modern means.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Beyond Borders: Democratizing Knowledge in a Polarized World
KEYWORDS
Knowledge, Information, Sources, Epistemological Attitude
