The Societal Epistemology of Artificial Intelligence: The Rise of Algorithmic Authority in the Production of Knowledge in the Social Sciences

Authors : Melek Coşgun Solak
Pages : 144-160
Doi:10.15869/itobiad.1730658
View : 231 | Download : 930
Publication Date : 2025-10-30
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Artificial intelligence and algorithms today are not limited to producing technical solutions; they are increasingly positioned as new epistemic apparatuses that regulate the processes of social knowledge production. This development has brought fundamental questions back into focus, particularly within the social sciences—questions about how knowledge is produced, by which normative criteria it is legitimized, and who gains epistemic authority in the process. This article aims to critically examine the transformative impact of AI technologies on the epistemology of the social sciences through the lens of a critical social epistemology, centered on the concept of algorithmic authority. The theoretical framework draws on Michel Foucault’s analysis of knowledge-power relations, Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory explaining the social construction of scientific knowledge, and Shoshana Zuboff’s theory of surveillance capitalism. These three approaches allow for an understanding of algorithmic systems not merely as technical operations but as structures that shape the normative and ideological dimensions of knowledge regimes. Contributions from thinkers such as Tarleton Gillespie and Nick Seaver, who conceptualize algorithms as cultural production tools, complement the article’s conceptual foundation. Methodologically, the study employs critical literature review and comparative theoretical analysis. The article explores the application of digital methodologies in the social sciences through case studies such as sentiment analysis, social media research, and ethnographic text processing. It highlights key issues that emerge in these processes, including algorithmic bias, methodological reductionism, and lack of transparency. In conclusion, the role of AI in social knowledge production emerges as not only a technical issue but also a political and normative one.
Keywords : Yapay Zekâ, Algoritmik Otorite, Toplumsal Epistemoloji, Dijital Metodoloji, Eleştirel Epistemoloji, Sosyal Bilim, Gözetim Kapitalizmi

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