Epistemically

Epistemically is an adverb relating to epistemic concerns—the nature, scope, and justification of knowledge or belief. It is used to describe how a claim relates to knowledge or evidence. In philosophy and related fields, it often modifies adjectives like justified, warranted, plausible, or permissible.

Etymology: epistemically is formed from the adjective epistemic, which derives from the Greek epistēmē meaning knowledge, with the English adverbial suffix -ly. Thus epistemically means “in relation to knowledge or justification.”

Usage: The term is common in formal discussions about rationality, skepticism, and evidence assessment. It can contrast with empirical usage; for example, epistemi­cally justified concerns whether a belief has good justification, whereas empirically supported concerns empirical support. Examples: “The hypothesis is epistemically plausible” or “Agents should be epistemically cautious.” It is not a value-neutral synonym for “certain” or “true,” but signals considerations about the knowledge status of a claim.

See also: epistemology, epistemic, epistemic justification, epistemic risk.