Definition of empiricism
1a : a former school of medical practice founded on experience without the aid of science or theoryb : quackery, charlatanry
2a : the practice of relying on observation and experiment especially in the natural sciencesb : a tenet arrived at empirically
3 : a theory that all knowledge originates in experience
People Are Reading
Recent Examples of empiricism from the Web
-
Meanwhile, over at the EPA, the war against empiricism continues apace.
-
Nonetheless, the patterns are becoming more susceptible to empiricism—to a science of surveillance, analysis, and iterative correction.
-
The election was a victory for gut instinct over empiricism, for cynicism over reason.
-
That’s because Facebook operates under a veneer of empiricism.
-
Like the principle of liberty, the principle of empiricism moves us always towards a better, freer, healthier world.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'empiricism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of empiricism
1658
Other Philosophy Terms
EMPIRICISM Defined for English Language Learners
empiricism
playDefinition of empiricism for English Language Learners
-
: the practice of basing ideas and theories on testing and experience
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about empiricism
-
See words that rhyme with empiricism Britannica English: Translation of empiricism for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about empiricism
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up empiricism? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!