radical empiricism

American  

noun

1. (in the philosophy of William James) the doctrine that the only proper subject matter of philosophy is that which can be defined in terms of experience, and that relations are a part of experience.

2. sensationalism.

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Other Word Forms

• radical empiricist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of radical empiricism

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

And the best way to get at Absolute Truth is simply to drop all thought and pay close attention to immediate perception, aka Zen meditation, aka radical empiricism.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2018

A rat-a-tat of surprising results over the past few years has supported this radical empiricism and done a lot to challenge traditional dualist philosophy.

From Slate • Nov. 24, 2014

They will assuredly not be disappointed if they open their minds to what the thicker and more radical empiricism has to say.

From A Pluralistic Universe Hibbert Lectures at Manchester College on the Present Situation in Philosophy by James, William

In radical empiricism there is no bedding; it is as if the pieces clung together by their edges, the transitions experienced between them forming their cement.

From Essays in Radical Empiricism by James, William

Had he seen the developments of his radical empiricism, I cannot help thinking he would have marvelled that such logical mechanisms should have been hatched out of that egg.

From Character and Opinion in the United States by Santayana, George