Word of the Day

: April 5, 2009

epistemic

adjective ep-uh-STEE-mik

What It Means

: of or relating to knowledge or knowing : cognitive

epistemic in Context

John’s fascination with the human animal’s epistemic limits and capabilities has led him to a double major in philosophy and psychology.

Did You Know?

"Epistemic" has shifted from the arcane worlds of philosophy, linguistics, and rhetoric to the practical realms of business and marketing; for example, a 2007 Letter to Shareholders from the asset management firm Legg Mason referred to investors who "have a high epistemic threshold and do exhaustive analysis to create near certainty, or at least very high conviction, about their investments." Wherever it is used, "epistemic" traces back to the knowledge of the Greeks. It comes from "epistēmē," Greek for "knowledge." That Greek word is from the verb "epistanai," meaning "to know or understand," a word formed from the prefix "epi-" (meaning "upon" or "attached to") and "histanai" (meaning "to cause to stand"). The study of the nature and grounds of knowledge is called "epistemology," and one who engages in such study is an epistemologist.