WikiWord

English

rationalism

noun

Meaning

  1. The theory that the reason is a source of knowledge independent of and superior to sense perception.
  2. The theory that knowledge may be derived by deductions from a priori concepts (such as axioms, postulates or earlier deductions).
  3. A view that the fundamental method for problem solving is through reason and experience rather than faith, inspiration, revelation, intuition or authority.
  4. Elaboration of theories by use of reason alone without appeal to experience, such as in mathematical systems.

Etymology / origin

No prose etymology has been added yet.

No ancestor words have been linked yet.

Related words

Descendant words

No descendant words have been linked yet.

Sources

  1. DictionaryAPI.dev English dictionary data
rationalism — meaning and etymology | WikiWord