empiricist
Meaning: A person who believes that knowledge derives primarily from sensory experience and observation rather than innate ideas or pure reason.
Empiricist is a cornerstone term of British philosophical tradition — Locke, Berkeley, and Hume are the canonical British empiricists. In modern usage, it extends beyond philosophy to describe anyone who insists on evidence over theory: an empiricist approach to policy, empiricist research methods. It stands in opposition to 'rationalist,' and the tension between the two positions underlies much of Western epistemology.
Examples
- The British empiricist tradition, from Locke to Hume, profoundly shaped the development of modern science. 从洛克到休谟,英国经验主义传统深刻地影响了现代科学的发展。La tradición empirista británica, de Locke a Hume, configuró profundamente el desarrollo de la ciencia moderna.ロックからヒュームに至る英国経験主義の伝統は、近代科学の発展に深い影響を与えた。로크에서 흄에 이르는 영국 경험주의 전통은 근대 과학의 발전에 심대한 영향을 미쳤다.
- As an empiricist, she insisted that policy should be guided by data rather than ideological conviction. 作为一个经验主义者,她坚持认为政策应以数据为导向,而非受意识形态信念指引。Como empirista, insistía en que la política debía guiarse por los datos y no por la convicción ideológica.経験主義者として、彼女は政策はイデオロギー的信念ではなくデータに基づくべきだと主張した。경험주의자로서 그녀는 정책이 이데올로기적 신념이 아닌 데이터에 기반해야 한다고 주장했다.
- The study adopted a rigorously empiricist methodology, gathering evidence from over three thousand field observations. 该研究采用了严格的经验主义方法论,从三千多次实地观察中收集证据。El estudio adoptó una metodología rigurosamente empirista, recopilando evidencias de más de tres mil observaciones de campo.その研究は厳密に経験主義的な方法論を採用し、3,000件を超える野外観察から証拠を収集した。그 연구는 엄격한 경험주의적 방법론을 채택하여 3,000건이 넘는 현장 관찰로부터 증거를 수집했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, professional
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Greek empeirikos (experienced), from empeiria (experience), from en- (in) + peira (trial, experiment). The philosophical term was established in English by the 17th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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