empiricist
Experience over theory
An empiricist is someone who believes knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience rather than innate ideas or pure reasoning.
The term belongs to philosophy, where empiricism stands opposed to rationalism: Locke and Hume were empiricists.
More loosely, an empiricist is anyone who insists on evidence over theory: She's an empiricist—show her the data.
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
- LockeEnglish empiricist philosopher's surname
- BerkeleyBay Area university city
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- tabula rasaUnmarked mental starting point
positivism · sensationalism · Bacon · Mill · Vienna Circle · impressions · experience · naturalism
Facts supporting truth
- dataFacts for analysis
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- measurementDetermining size or amount
research · scientific method · hypothesis · testing · inductive · sensory · perception · quantifiable
Lack of firm belief
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- critiqueDetailed evaluative analysis
- debunkingProving claims false
Involving direct physical engagement
- pragmaticFocused on workable solutions
- realisticTrue to life
- down-to-earthPractical and without pretension
- evidence-basedSupported by verified data
commonsensical · matter-of-fact · no-nonsense · hardheaded · results-oriented · trial-and-error · grounded · applied
Hume
Scottish Enlightenment philosopher
- LockeEnglish empiricist philosopher's surname
- BerkeleyBay Area university city
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
tabula rasa · positivism · sensationalism · Bacon · Mill · Vienna Circle · impressions · experience · naturalism · foundationalism
evidence
Facts supporting truth
- dataFacts for analysis
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
measurement · research · scientific method · hypothesis · testing · inductive · sensory · perception · quantifiable · verifiable
doubt
Lack of firm belief
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- critiqueDetailed evaluative analysis
hands-on
Involving direct physical engagement
- pragmaticFocused on workable solutions
- realisticTrue to life
- down-to-earthPractical and without pretension
evidence-based · commonsensical · matter-of-fact · no-nonsense · hardheaded · results-oriented · trial-and-error · grounded · applied · workable
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- philosophy worldethicist, logician, metaphysician, epistemologist, aesthetician
- freethinkersfreethinker, freethinkers, secularists, rationalist, rationalists
- investigatorsdetective, investigator, inspector, sleuth, gumshoe
- nonbelieversatheist, atheists, agnostic, agnostics, nonbeliever
- theoristspolitical theorist, game theorist, music theorist, conspiracy theorist
empiricistrationalist
One guided by reason
nativist · Cartesian · idealist · intuitionist · Platonist
empiricistdogmatist
One holding fixed beliefs
mystic · supernaturalist · spiritualist · occultist · traditionalist
empiricistrationalist
One guided by reason
theoretician · abstractionist · formalist · essentialist · realist