Does epistemology need to investigate empirical facts?

Abstract

The author has investigated the discussion about the way of elaborating epistemological problems: is it necessary to preserve traditional philosophical problems and methods of analysis or it is better to give up philosophical ways of thinking and to begin developing epistemology as empirical science. The author defends the thesis that now epistemology is engaging in an intensive dialogue with cognitive sciences, that presupposes mutual enrichment and mutual criticism. At the same time epistemology doesn’t lose its normative function, as it a critically analyses the presuppositions of theories in cognitive sciences. In this connection the theory of social relay races bу outstanding Russian philosopher M.A. Rozov is being analyzed.