Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

Empiricism

[em-pir-uh-siz-uhm]

Example Sentences Origin

noun

empirical method or practice.

Philosophy. the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from sense experience. Compare rationalism (def. 2).

undue reliance upon experience, as in medicine; quackery.

an empirical conclusion.

Origin:
1650–60; empiric + -ism

Related forms

em·pir·i·cist, noun, adjective

an·ti·em·pir·i·cism, noun

an·ti·em·pir·i·cist, noun, adjective

non·em·pir·i·cism, noun

pro·em·pir·i·cism, noun, adjective

EXPAND

pro·em·pir·i·cist, noun

COLLAPSE

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To Empiricism

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Empiricism is always a great word to know.

So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Example Sentences

Now he writes pop songs about scientists who were less absurd about their empiricism.

The champions of empiricism show an unattractive hubris when they go after what they see as pseudoscience.

In other words, he means to suggest that government support for empiricism is a form of establishment of religion.

EXPAND

Now he writes pop songs about scientists who were less absurd about their empiricism.

The champions of empiricism show an unattractive hubris when they go after what they see as pseudoscience.

In other words, he means to suggest that government support for empiricism is a form of establishment of religion.

We are finite emotional creatures, but empiricism helps us to understand where our weak points are, and possibly overcome them.

But it was really important to us to stay rooted in empiricism.

Alongside the god gene there must have also evolved genes for skepticism, empiricism and dissent.

And this is a subject that clearly arouses a lot of strong feelings and is thus in sore need of more empiricism.

The empiricism that now dominated philosophy and science inspired new mapping.

Name it and the empiricism studies that support your hypothesis.

But there is something paradoxical in the idea of radical empiricism itself.

Casual empiricism suggests that the anchoring effect of homeownership is huge.

First, economics is a social science whose empiricism is questionable at best.

In a sense, the community of those who believe that empiricism has a role to play crosses the boundaries of sport.

However, such a strong belief in something you can't actually see is not exactly empiricism.

James is best when he applies his knife's-edge empiricism to the murkiest of crime puzzles.

Much psychological empiricism rests on undergraduates who participate in studies for course credit.

Rational empiricism is the inferential method of science.

As a result it seems any practical and philosophical questions melt under the light of empiricism.

Leichtweis had struck a blow for old-fashioned empiricism.

Pure empiricism was not viable, and a priori reasoning was barren of reality.

Before that, one relied on guesswork empiricism and imagination.

Fueled by this hollow arrogance, his method of attack, a kind of parody of the empiricism and skepticism of.

As a business, the modern college must follow the guidelines of its clientele's demand for the empiricism of digital technology.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

empiricism (ɛmˈpɪrɪˌsɪzəm)

—n
1.	philosophy intuitionism Compare rationalism the doctrine that all knowledge of matters of fact derives from experience and that the mind is not furnished with a set of concepts in advance of experience
2.	the use of empirical methods
3.	medical quackery; charlatanism

em'piricist

—n, —*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

empiricism

1650s, in the medical sense, from empiric + -ism. General sense is from 1796.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

empiricism em·pir·i·cism (ěm-pēr'ĭ-sĭz'əm)
n.

Employment of empirical methods, as in science.
The practice of medicine that disregards scientific theory and relies solely on practical experience.

em·pir'i·cist n.

Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com

Searching for Empiricism?
How many words do you actually know?

FIND OUT

logical positivism radical empiricism

Matching Quote

"To be radical, an empiricism must neither admit into its constructions any element that is not directly experienced, nor exclude from them any element that is directly experienced."

-William James

Partners:Word Bloglines Citysearch The Daily Beast Ask Answers Ask Kids Life123 Sendori Thesaurus

About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help