Final answer:
It is true that one's viewpoint on the nature of knowledge influences the research process, including research questions, design, and methods adopted, because knowledge itself is underpinned by beliefs about what is true and what can be justified.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that one's viewpoint on the nature of knowledge and how we acquire it influences research questions, research design, and methods is true. Knowledge is generally considered to be a belief that is both true and justified. Therefore, epistemological beliefs, those pertaining to the study of knowledge, will shape the entire research process.
The nature of knowledge encompasses principles such as it must be true, while also acknowledging that it is a complicated construct that philosophers, scientists, and scholars grapple with extensively. The philosophical pursuit of understanding knowledge involves questioning, doubting, and trying to find theories and counter-theories regarding what is known, how we come to know it, and what constitutes truth.
Research questions stem from the purpose of the research and are guided by what the researcher seeks to understand or uncover. Hence, the researcher's epistemology inherently affects the direction and methods of the research. Statements that are proven to be true are essential for defining the concept of knowledge, and research itself is an activity heavily invested in the discovery of such truths. Only through understanding our own limitations and adopting a stance of epistemic humility can knowledge progress in a meaningful way.