How do you differentiate between epistemology and ontology?
Every science has its own ontology, epistemology and
consequently its own methodologies.
Ontology defines the fundamental categories of reality. Domain
ontology as distinct from formal ontology is related to focus of
study. Each research field has its own ontology. A biologist, who
studies ants, differentiates the ants' specific constituent parts,
actions and contexts. Similarly a sociologist will have implicit
and/or explicit presuppositions about categories of reality that
are fundamental and related in the human and social systems she/he
studies. Where formal ontology inquiry is to say something general
about reality, domain ontology says something specific about
different areas of reality.
Epistemology defines how we can know and reason that reality. As
for domain ontology, each research field has its own epistemology:
The maps applied by the biologist studying ants, are traditionally
different from the maps applied by the sociologist in her/his
studies of interacting humans.
The methodologies of each of these two scientists have followed
as different systems of investigative techniques within their focus
of study. The biologist and the sociologist traditionally apply
different procedures for accomplishing and approaching the
phenomena they focus on. They use different scientific methods
studying different domains with different epistemology and
ontology.