1. the philosophical doctrine that knowledge or certain truths can be derived from reason alone, independent of experience or empirical observation
Usage: formal; philosophy

Examples

• Kant's philosophy represents a middle ground between strict apriorism and pure empiricism.
• The mathematician argued that geometric truths are known through apriorism rather than sensory experience.
• Descartes' method of doubt exemplifies apriorism in its reliance on reason as the foundation of knowledge.
• Critics of apriorism contend that all knowledge ultimately depends on some form of experience.
• The debate between apriorism and empiricism has shaped Western philosophy for centuries.