glossary for social sciences, academia and learning

term	definition
ontological	Relating to the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.
epistemology	The theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.
teleological	Relating to or involving the explanation of phenomena in terms of the purpose they serve rather than of the cause by which they arise.