epistemic

From Ancient Greek [Term?] epistēmikós, from ἐπιστήμη (epistḗmē, “science, knowledge”).

• IPA^(key): /ˌɛpəˈstimɪk/, /ˌɛpəˈstemɪk/
• Rhymes: -iːmɪk, -ɛmɪk

epistemic (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to knowledge or cognition; cognitive.
   • 1981, Martin Warner, “Review of Metaphor and Thought by Andrew Ortony”, in The Modern Language Review, volume 76, number 2, page 428:

     Metaphors provide epistemic access to the world via the articulation of new ideas at a stage when literal language cannot cope.

   • 2008, Paul Vincent Spade, “Medieval Theories of Obligationes”, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy‎, retrieved 2012-07-15:

     Second, note the role of the respondent's epistemic state. It is a factor in determining the correct replies, but only when the propositum is irrelevant.

   • 2018, Benkler, Yochai; Faris, Robert; Roberts, Hal, “Epistemic crisis”, in Network Propaganda: Manipulation, Disinformation, and Radicalization in American Politics‎, →DOI:

     This chapter describes the contours of the epistemic crisis in media and politics that threatens the integrity of democratic processes, erodes trust in public institutions, and exacerbates social divisions.

2. Of or relating to the metaknowledge and theory of knowledge (epistemology).
   • 2000, Timm Triplett, “Review of The Philosophy of Roderick M. Chisholm”, in The Philosophical Review, volume 109, number 3, page 452:

     Audi considers whether Chisholm might be able to incorporate into his epistemic system an internalist evidential grounding requirement.

Philosophers differentiate the meanings of epistemic and epistemological, where, broadly, epistemic means "relating to knowledge (itself)"[1] and epistemological means "relating to the study or theory of various aspects of knowledge"[2]. Nonetheless, in general usage the terms epistemic crisis, epistemologic crisis, and epistemological crisis are synonymous, referring to a crisis of community members with an impaired level of shared perceptions of reality (an excessive level of disagreement on what is real or fake, that is, existing or illusory).