empiricism

American  

[em-pir-uh-siz-uhm] / ɛmˈpɪr əˌsɪz əm /

noun

1. empirical method or practice.

2. Philosophy. the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from sense experience.

3. undue reliance upon experience, as in medicine; quackery.

4. an empirical conclusion.

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empiricism British  

/ ɛmˈpɪrɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. philosophy 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 Compare intuitionism rationalism

2. the use of empirical methods

3. medical quackery; charlatanism

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Other Word Forms

• antiempiricism noun
• antiempiricist noun
• empiricist noun
• nonempiricism noun
• proempiricism noun
• proempiricist noun

Etymology

Origin of empiricism

First recorded in 1650–60; empiric + -ism

Example Sentences

It was the result of "absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism", he said.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2025

The Greek philosopher Aristotle had stressed the study of the world through direct observation, a method known as empiricism.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

But not everyone agrees with this emerging consensus, and a new wave of empiricism has emerged over the past decade.

From Scientific American • Mar. 7, 2023

“It’s potentially very healthy if these investigations are animated by an empiricism — an ability to get to the facts,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2023

The discussion of experience/experiment claims that the English vocabulary fosters empiricism, while the French vocabulary is at odds with it; this would also seem to be true in this case.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton