The application of contextualism to epistemology—the view that knowledge attributions are context-dependent, that what counts as knowing varies with the standards of the context. Epistemological Contextualism argues that "knows" is a context-sensitive term: in a low-stakes context, you might know; in a high-stakes context, you might not. The same evidence, the same belief, the same person—different contexts, different knowledge claims. This doesn't make knowledge arbitrary; it makes knowledge sensitive to what's at stake, to what counts as good enough. Epistemological Contextualism is the philosophy of pragmatic epistemology, of the recognition that knowledge is always knowledge-for-some-purpose.
Example: "She knew her car was in the parking lot—until she needed it for a medical emergency. Suddenly, her knowledge seemed less certain. Epistemological Contextualism explained why: what counts as 'knowing' depends on what's at stake. Low stakes, she knew; high stakes, she needed more. Knowledge wasn't fixed; it was contextual. She started paying attention to what was at stake in every claim."
by Abzugal February 21, 2026
Get the Epistemological Contextualism mug.