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

See Examples For:

radical empiricism

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 William James

This sentiment, which always lay at the back of his mind, reached something like formal expression in his latest writings, where he sketched what he called radical empiricism.

From Character and Opinion in the United States by George Santayana

This, it seems to me, breaks down radical empiricism, which I hate to do; and I can't yet clearly see my way out of the quandary.

From The Letters of William James, Vol. II by William James