In the context of The most rational epistemic agent, they must posses the following property:
The rational agent utilizes heuristics efficiently when exact computation is infeasible
So what exactly are these "epistemic heuristics"? Here is a list, probably not exhaustive, one can use as an epistemic agent in everyday life:
- Availability Heuristic Judging the probability or frequency of events based on how easily examples come to mind.
- Representativeness Heuristic Estimating likelihood based on similarity to a prototype or stereotype rather than actual base rates.
- Anchoring and Adjustment Starting from an initial reference point (anchor) and adjusting estimates based on that starting value.
- Recognition Heuristic Preferring recognized options over unrecognized ones, assuming familiarity correlates with relevance or accuracy.
- Affect Heuristic Using emotional responses as a guide to risk or value judgments of other agents.
- Satisficing Selecting the first option that meets a threshold of acceptability instead of searching for the optimal solution.
- Take-the-First-Cue Comparing options by the first cue that discriminates between them, ignoring further information once a decision is made.
- Default Heuristic Accepting a default or status quo option when effort or uncertainty is high.
- Social Proof Inferring correctness from the behavior or beliefs of others, especially in ambiguous situations.
- Fluency Heuristic Preferring options that are processed more easily or quickly, associating fluency with truth or value.
- Simplicity Preference Favoring simpler explanations or models over complex ones when both explain the data equally well (Occam’s razor).
- Recency Heuristic Giving more weight to recent information or experiences when making judgments.
- Effort Heuristic Valuing outcomes or information more if more effort was expended to obtain or produce them.
- Similarity Heuristic Generalizing based on perceived similarity to previous situations or cases.
- Scarcity Heuristic Inferring value or importance from limited availability.
Interestingly, any epistemologist can spot most of these as so called "cognitive biases", which is exactly the case. However one must recognize that exactly these biases promoted successful survival of biological agents. Any rational epistemic agent incorporates these heuristics transparently, instead of zealously exterminating them from their cognition. They hold any conclusions tentatively, while admitting the fallibility of these methods and awaiting/exploring alternative evidence.