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Philosophy vocabulary · Epistemology

A priori

Meaning in philosophy, with examples

/ˌeɪ praɪˈɔːraɪ/adjectiveCore term

In philosophy, a priori means: Describes knowledge or justification that does not depend on experience, such as knowing that all bachelors are unmarried or that 7 + 5 = 12.

In Turkish: a priori, önsel, deneyimden bağımsız

How it is used

Used as an adjective (a priori knowledge) or an adverb (known a priori). The opposite is a posteriori. Kant asked whether there are synthetic a priori truths, which say something about the world yet are known independently of experience.

Example sentences

  1. We know a priori that a triangle has three sides; no survey is needed.

  2. Kant argued that mathematics gives us synthetic a priori knowledge.

Common collocations

  • a priori knowledge
  • known a priori
  • synthetic a priori
  • a priori argument
  • a posterioriDescribes knowledge or justification that depends on experience or observation, such as knowing that water boils at 100°C at sea level.
  • rationalismThe view that reason, rather than sense experience, is the main source of knowledge, and that some knowledge is innate or a priori.
  • knowledgeKnowing that something is the case; traditionally defined as a belief that is true and properly justified, although this definition is disputed.
  • empiricalBased on observation, experience or experiment rather than on pure reasoning or theory.

More terms: Epistemology

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