Final answer:
Epistemology and metaphysics are distinct branches of philosophy, dealing with knowledge and the nature of reality, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
Epistemology and metaphysics are both branches of philosophy, but they focus on different aspects of knowledge. Epistemology deals with the nature of knowledge and how we can acquire it, while metaphysics examines the fundamental nature of reality. While there is some overlap between the two, they are distinct fields.
Humean empiricism, which emphasizes the role of experience and observation in knowledge, does pose challenges to epistemology grounded in metaphysics. Hume argued that knowledge is based on habitual inductions from a posteriori questions of fact. This challenges the notion of metaphysics providing a secure epistemic foundation.
Metaphysics itself is concerned with questions about the nature of reality, such as the existence of God, the nature of the mind, and the origin of reality. It does not necessarily provide a direct basis for epistemology, but it may inform our understanding of the nature of knowledge and truth.