What does apriorism mean?
Apriorism is a noun used chiefly in philosophy to denote the doctrine that certain truths or items of knowledge can be established independently of experience — that is, a priori. The term also functions as a critical label: when scholars accuse a theory of apriorism, they mean it reasons deductively from fixed first principles while disregarding empirical evidence. It is closely associated with rationalist traditions, from Descartes through Kant, whose account of a priori knowledge of space, time, and causation is often treated as the paradigm case. In modern usage the word appears almost exclusively in academic writing — philosophy, intellectual history, and social theory — where it typically carries a pejorative shade, contrasting with empiricism and its insistence on observation and experiment. Related terms include the adjective phrase "a priori" and the noun "apriority," which describe individual judgments rather than the broader doctrinal stance. For readers of serious nonfiction, recognizing apriorism helps identify debates about whether knowledge rests on reason alone or on experience.
nounThe doctrine or practice of reasoning from assumptions held to be true independently of experience; a commitment to a priori principles or conclusions.
- As a philosophical position: the view that some knowledge or truths can be established independently of, and prior to, experience.
- As a pejorative term in criticism: a tendency to reason deductively from fixed assumptions while ignoring empirical evidence.
"His critique of the theory rested on the charge that it was mere apriorism, deducing conclusions without any appeal to evidence."
"The historian accused the economist of apriorism for deriving his model entirely from first principles."
"Kant's claim that space and time are known a priori is often cited as a classic instance of apriorism."
Rarely pluralized; the singular is standard even when discussing multiple doctrines, which are usually named individually.
"The survey compared the apriorisms of rival schools of metaphysics."
Philosophers coined "apriorism" largely as an accusation — it's what you call someone else's theory when you think it's built on armchair assumptions rather than real-world evidence.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apriorism
Apriorism derives from the Latin phrase "a priori," literally "from the former" or "from what comes before," which medieval Latin used for reasoning from causes to effects. The phrase entered modern philosophy through the rationalist tradition and became central after Kant's Critique of Pure Reason (1781), which distinguished a priori from a posteriori knowledge. The noun form "apriorism," denoting the doctrine itself, emerged in nineteenth-century philosophical writing, particularly in German and British debates over idealism and empiricism. Its cognates include "a posteriori" and the related noun "apriority."
How apriorism is actually used
A formal, scholarly term found mainly in philosophy, historiography of ideas, and academic criticism. It frequently carries a negative connotation when used by critics, implying that a thinker privileges abstract deduction over observation. It is rare in everyday speech.
Easily confused with apriorism
"A priori" is an adjective (or adverb) describing knowledge independent of experience, while "apriorism" is the noun naming the doctrine or tendency of relying on such knowledge.