TESTIMONY AS TRUTH: EPISTEMIC AUTHORITY, TRUST, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

Testimony plays a fundamental role in the acquisition and transmission of knowledge, serving as a primary source through which individuals learn about events, experiences, and facts beyond their direct observation. This article examines the concept of testimony as truth by exploring the relationship between testimony, credibility, and epistemic justification. It analyzes philosophical debates concerning whether testimony constitutes an independent source of knowledge or derives its validity from other forms of evidence. The study further investigates the social dimensions of trust, authority, memory, and narrative in shaping the acceptance of testimony as truthful. By drawing on epistemology, legal theory, and social philosophy, the article argues that testimony functions as a crucial mechanism for constructing shared understandings of reality while remaining vulnerable to issues of bias, deception, and interpretive uncertainty.