If thermodynamic properties are systematically and lawfully connected to water across all possible worlds, the distinction between epistemic and ontological criteria collapses for natural kind terms.

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Epistemic: "Epistemic" relates to knowledge—how we know things, what counts as knowledge, and whether we can trust what we believe to be true. It comes from the Greek word for knowledge and is used to describe questions about the reliability and validity of our beliefs and understanding. For example, "epistemic humility" means acknowledging the limits of what you can actually know for certain.
Ontological: "Ontological" refers to questions about what actually exists or is real. It's concerned with the fundamental nature of being—asking "What kinds of things are there?" rather than "How do we know about them?" For example, an ontological question might be whether numbers, ideas, or God actually exist as real things, or if they're just human inventions.
Systematically and lawfully connected(as used in philosophy of science): Related in a regular, predictable pattern that follows consistent rules, like a scientific law.
Thermodynamic properties(as used in philosophy of science): Physical characteristics of a substance related to heat, energy, and temperature—like how water boils at 100°C or freezes at 0°C.

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