Epistemiske

Epistemiske is an adjective used in Norwegian and other Scandinavian languages to describe things related to epistemology, knowledge, or justification. The base term, epistemisk or epistemic in English, derives from the Greek epistēmē meaning knowledge and has been adapted into modern languages to denote knowledge-related concepts rather than the objects of knowledge themselves.

In philosophy, epistemiske concerns address how beliefs are formed, justified, and supported by evidence, as well as the nature of knowledge, certainty, and truth. Topics include justificatory standards, the reliability of cognitive processes, the distinction between knowledge and mere true belief, and how evidence is assessed. The term is also used in discussions of epistemic logic and epistemic states, where statements express what is known, believed, or uncertain.

Beyond philosophy, epistemiske appears in linguistics, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence to discuss knowledge-related modalities and perspectives. Epistemic modality describes how speakers express certainty, doubt, or evidence for statements, and epistemiske notions help categorize these expressions and their implications for reasoning and communication. In practice, common Norwegian collocations include epistemiske standarder (epistemic standards), epistemiske begrunnelser (epistemic justifications), and epistemiske posisjoner (epistemic positions), as well as phrases describing epistemisk usikkerhet (epistemic uncertainty).

The term is closely linked with epistemology, the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, as well as with related fields such as epistemic justification, evidence, and belief. It is used to distinguish knowledge-related considerations from ontological or metaphysical questions about reality.