the philosophical position that true knowledge comes through the senses. (6, 34)
A philosophy of science which prioritizes empirical observations over theoretical statements. It assumes that statements deriving from observations make direct reference to real world phenomena and they can be declared true or false without reference to the truth or falsity of theoretical statements. It is a fundamental assumption of positivism challenged by other epistemologies such as realism and postmodernism.
relying solely on experiment.
The belief that knowledge is aquired through observation and experience. (See Rationalism)
the doctrine that says sense experience is the only source of knowledge.
The doctrine which denies or doubts the validity of all intellectual knowledge and admits only the certainty of sense-knowledge.
the view that knowledge is derived from sensory experience, for example visual observation. More loosely, it has been used to describe research that contains little in the way of reflection or theory, preferring to report `facts' as they appear to be (as in the term 'abstracted empiricism').
The philosophy that all knowledge originates in sensory experience.
the epistemelogical view that experience (i.e., information we get from the senses) is the primary source of knowledge.
A school of thought that proposes that all theory and knowledge should be based on observation. This is in contrast to ‘rationalism', which proposes that reasoning is the basis.
the acceptance of sense experience as the source and test of truth.
The view that experience, especially of the senses, is the only source of knowledge
The theory that all knowledge comes from observation.
the view that all human knowledge is acquired from sense experience (via the 5 senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight) or a posteriori which is Latin for "that which follows after." All knowledge is acquired after sensible experience, or post-experientially.
reliance on observable and quantifiable data.
The belief that all knowledge is derived from experience, especially sensory experience.
Approach to social science concerned with political phenomena--what has been, what is and what will be. Methods of empirical science include observation, description, and reasoning.
contrasts with Rationalism by believing that you get all ideas or concepts from experience and that truth must be established by reference to experience alone. See Empirical; Radical empiricism; British empiricism; Logical empiricism; Scientific empiricism; Religious empiricism; and Scientific empiricism
considering rational ‘a priori' as THE explanation of experience. Might be seen as a Roman Christian subsect. Then that truncated experience is taken as all of truth, and taken as leading for thinking (see sect)
(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge derives from experience
medical practice and advice based on observation and experience in ignorance of scientific findings
in philosophy, a doctrine that affirms that all knowledge is based on experience, and denies the possibility of spontaneous ideas or a priori thought.
The theory that our only source of knowledge about reality is experience, specifically, sense experience.
A theory that all knowledge originates with experience independent of systems of thought or theory.
The belief that all knowledge is acquired through the experience of the five senses. Contrasted with Rationalism.
the practice of relying on observation and experiment especially in the natural sciences; all knowledge is gained through sensory experience.
the epistemological view that all knowledge is grounded in experience and direct observation, and not what's in our mind a priori. Eminent empiricists include Locke, Berkeley (pronounced Barkley), Hume, J.S. Mill and Bertrand Russell.
( philo.) - A belief that experience alone is the source of all knowledge.
The notion that all knowledge comes from observation and experience, and gets to the mind through the senses.
The theory that truth is verifies by testable sense experience. In Ethics it is linked to Naturalism where moral truths can be scientifically proven.
the claim that sense experience is the sole source of our knowledge about the world
The premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation.
The doctrine that all knowledge is based on experience or observation.
While the age of enlightenment produced philosophers and others positing a divorce from revealed and divine knowledge, with a focus on human reasoning, two avenues of "knowing about the world" were offered. The first was Rationalism and the second was Empiricism. Propounded by Berkely, Locke and Hume and based upon Aristotlian logic, empiricism demanded 'facts first' and then reasoning, or inductive reasoning about observations, rather than reasoning first and then 'investigation'. Empiricism forms the foundation for our modern Scientific Method.
The school of thought (best described in the tradition of John Locke) which claims that all knowledge is borne of the senses--i.e., is environmentally determined (cf. Skinner Behaviorism pace Chomsky's Rationalism).
A school of thought that holds that all knowledge comes by way of empirical experience, that is, through the senses.
theory of inductive reasoning where you should go beyond speculation and begin to compare and analyze the subject. (p. 602)
The philosophical view that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.
The proposition that the only source of true knowledge is experience. Search for knowledge through experiment and observation. Denial that knowledge can be obtained a priori.
A teaching on the theory of knowledge which holds that sensory experience is the only source of knowledge and affirms that all knowledge is founded on experience and is obtained through experience. The opposite to rationalism. The main failing of this is a tendency to reject reason as a means of deduction in favour of a metaphysical exaggeration of the role of experience alone.
(Gk. empeiria - “experience”) The view that all knowledge is acquired through five sense experience.
The view that behavior is learned as a result of experience. See also nativism.
Theory that environmental experiences shape the individual; more specifically, that all knowledge is derived from sensory experiences.
In philosophy generally, empiricism is a theory of knowledge emphasizing the role of experience in the formation of ideas, while discounting the notion of innate ideas.