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

Explanation

Empiricism means a method of study relying on empirical evidence, which includes things you've experienced: stuff you can see and touch. Empiricism is based on facts, evidence, and research. Scholars and researchers deal in empiricism. If you believe in the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or Santa Claus, you're out of the realm of empiricism — there are no facts to support those myths. If you want to get something practical done, or to really know what the deal is with something, empiricism is the way to go.

Example Sentences

Kim said on Thursday that the accident was caused by "absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism".

From BBC • May 23, 2025

When your congregation zealously overestimates the epistemological functionality of empiricism in the work of logical positivism, you trap the conversation of science and consciousness in your lethally boring Vienna wagon-Circling.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2024

In short, empiricism dominated philosophy and psychology until the second half of the 20th century, when nativist-friendly thinkers such as Noam Chomsky swung the pendulum back toward Plato.

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