ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the epistemology of practice; in other words, what type of evidence or knowledge is needed in deciding how to act? Using the distinction drawn by Aristotle between practical and scientific knowledge, it is suggested that evidence in the form of scientific knowledge, no matter how widely defined, cannot form the basis for practice because it cannot provide the goals that action requires; for Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), these must be provided from within practice itself, from for example, nursing or surgery. The initial responses to these ethical concerns have focused on the epistemology of 'evidence'. The chapter expresses that, as well as considering the 'evidence' in EBP, it is also necessary to consider the idea of practice being 'based' on evidence. By providing the tools for practitioners and researchers to note the difference between epistemic wisdom and practical wisdom, Aristotle helps to resolve one area of concern relating to evidence-based practice.
