empiricism

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: empiricist, empiricisim, empirics, empiricists, empirism, empiricisms

Antonyms: empiricist, empiricisim, empirics, empiricists, empirism, empiricisms

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. {{lb|en|philosophy}} A [[doctrine]] which holds that the [[only]] or, at least, the most [[reliable]] source of human knowledge is experience, especially [[perception]] by means of the [[physical]] [[sense]]s. (Often contrasted with [[rationalism]].) {{defdate|from 18th c.}}
2. A pursuit of [[knowledge]] purely through [[experience]], especially by means of [[observation]] and sometimes by [[experimentation]]. {{defdate|from 19th c.}}
3. {{lb|en|social sciences|political science|sociology}} Research methodology shaped from empirical philosophy (see above), e.g. [[surveys]], [[statistics]], etc.
4. {{lb|en|medicine|now|chiefly|historical}} Medicine as practised by an [[empiric]], founded on mere (personal or anecdotal) [[experience]], without the aid of [[science]] or a knowledge of [[principle]]s. {{defdate|from 17th c.}}

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