Contact: josh@epistemica.ai
We built Epistemica because we’re living through an epistemic crisis.
Truth is no longer shared ground. People interpret the same information in radically different ways, and those divergences are accelerating. Policy teams, communicators, and institutions are flying blind, trying to reach audiences that live in separate interpretive worlds.
Epistemica is a belief simulation platform that models how different communities interpret the same information—and how those interpretations evolve over time. We combine structured reasoning, epistemic trait modeling, and vector embeddings to make belief formation visible and measurable.
Our Mission
We don’t just want to predict reactions.
We want to rebuild visibility into belief — to show not just what people think, but why they think it.
Our goal is to create a transparent foundation for constructive disagreement, narrative analysis, and institutional alignment.
Interpretation Analytics Platform
Epistemica transforms communication intelligence through structured, explainable interpretation modeling:
- Comparative Analysis — See how different communities interpret the same message
- Narrative Forecasting — Predict belief drift and polarization
- Divergence Detection — Spot exactly where meaning fractures
- Bridge Identification — Reveal where shared understanding can be rebuilt
- Belief Transformation Analysis — Track how interpretations shift under different conditions
Think of it as Perplexity for reasoning — but instead of just citing sources, we show the logic behind beliefs.
Analytics Components
Our platform offers measurable insights through several key analytics components:
- Communication Intelligence — Reveals how different communities process your messages
- Narrative Forecasting — Projects interpretation trajectories before they show up in public discourse
- Divergence Analytics — Identifies where and why interpretation gaps form
- Bridge Detection — Surfaces language and framing that resonate across worldviews
- Interpretation Map — Visualizes the communication landscape across perspectives
- Communication Evolution Forecast — Simulates belief drift across scenarios
How It Works
We combine vector embeddings with structured reasoning frameworks:
- Information Embedding — Semantic content
- Trait Embedding — Cognitive and emotional tendencies
- Schema Embedding — Interpretive lens (justice-oriented, outcome-focused, etc.)
- Framework Embedding — Epistemic rules (critical theory, pragmatism, etc.)
- Ontology Embedding — Conceptual worldview
These components produce a composite Belief Vector, paired with transparent reasoning traces and visual outputs such as drift graphs, narrative conflict charts, and consensus bridges.
Measurement Metrics
We quantify interpretation through the following metrics:
- Belief Drift Score — How much a community’s interpretation has changed from baseline
- Communication Gap — How far each group’s understanding deviates from the original message
- Inter-Community Distance — Potential for misunderstanding between groups
- Message Stability — How consistent interpretations remain under change
- Convergence/Divergence — Are communities growing closer or further apart?
- Interpretation Variance — How much a community’s understanding shifts across contexts
Who We Are
Epistemica was founded by Joshua Hathcock, a software engineer, writer, and public philosopher. His work explores the intersection of epistemology, technology, and culture.
“I’ve always felt a disconnect between how events are presented and what’s actually true.
Philosophy helped me see the assumptions beneath the surface — but it wasn’t until I started building with AI that I realized I could make those assumptions visible, modelable, and open to scrutiny.”
Josh also writes The Performance Age, a public philosophy project about how algorithmic logic and media incentives are reshaping how we think, argue, and perform.
What’s Next
We’re currently in alpha. The simulation demo is live, and we’re actively gathering feedback from researchers, analysts, and strategists.
If you care about:
- Bridging divides instead of amplifying them
- Making reasoning visible and falsifiable
- Rebuilding public trust in how knowledge is formed
We’d love to talk.