APRIORISMO meaning and example
In today's class from a teacher we are going to explain to you the meaning of apriorism and examples, a current that is defined as one that is based on a priori reasoning and not a posteriori, that is, it establishes that for something to be taken as true it does not need a prior observation or investigation.
A priorism has its origin in Ancient Greece with Elea Parmenides (6th century a. C.) and extends throughout the history of philosophy with representatives such as Plato (If you. C.), Euclid (S.II a. C.), Gottfried Leibniz (18th century), David hume (18th century),Immanuel Kant (19th century) or LudwIg von Mises (S.XX).
If you want to know more about apriorism, keep reading this lesson from a PROFESSOR because we are going to explain and show you a series of examples so that you know in detail this philosophical doctrine We started!
What is apriorism.
The word apriorism comes from the Latin phrase "a priori" what does it mean before
and that, in turn, refers to what we take as true before studying it. Therefore, it is totally opposite to what is "a posteriori ”or after, since, a posteriori it is something that is based on experience, research or observation. They are empirical judgments that refer to the facts.Thus, a priori and a posteriori are two types of knowledge that lead us to the truth in a different way. In this way, apriorism defends that not directly needed from experience, observation or research so that a specific question is established as true or real because it is something that is known (something that we all know or that is preconceived), a truism, a universal, eternal knowledge that implies going directly de cause to effect (we do it before we study it).
Likewise, from a priori it is established that what is taken for true rests directly on the meaning of what we say: on the words that form a sentence. What Kant define as analytical propositions: propositions where the value of truth is found in the meaning of the terms we use, that is, we learn the meaning of the terms we use in a sentence and that we understand directly without having to carry out a test or empirical investigation (synthetic propositions).
Characteristics of apriorism
In this sense, apriorism is characterized by:
- Try reconcile rationalism and empiricism: The apriorism tells us that the a priori elements are the elements or empty containers that are part of the reason and the thought that we go filling in through experience, however, we come to reason and thought spontaneously and not exclusively through experience: Rationing without experimentation.
- Knowledge is made up of experience and thought: Knowledge is based on experience but is not totally dependent on it, that is, knowledge is shapes through thought, since it is also made up of elements a priori or inseparable from consciousness or intuition. Therefore, knowledge does not derive in its entirety from experience.
Image: Epistemology
Examples of apriorism.
To better understand what aprism is, here are some examples of apriorism:
The maieutics of Socrates
In the maieutics of Socrates we find apriorism in his idea that the knowledge it is something inherent to the person, which is in us before birth, but at birth it is forgotten and, therefore, to remember it we need someone to help us, through the Socratic method, the maieutics. The one that helps us get our knowledge out of our psyche through dialogue and not through prior research.
Plato's theory of ideas
Plato speaks of a reality divided into two worlds (ontological dualism):
- The intelligible world: It is the true world and where ideas are located, it is incorruptible, immutable, it is the world of essences, it constitutes the true being and has been created by the demiurge..
- The sensible world: It is the physical world, a copy of the first, it is the world of opinions and appearances, subjected to change and corruption, characterized by multiplicity and accessed through senses.
According to this theory, the idea of the intelligible world is something universal and immutable that makes the knowledge of our reality possible, a world without the direct intervention of experience. This is where we find an example of apriorism.
Religion and ontological theories
People believe in a God without proof or previous experience of the existence of him, thus, it can be said that they have faith in a divinity a priori or before.
In addition, to this is added the development of theories ontological arguments whose objective is to demonstrate the existence of God using a priori elements, such as when Anselm of Canterbury (11th century) establishes that God is in the mind of the individual, that is, it is in the being of God to exist.
Phrases or ideas that are aprioristic
Within philosophy we find phrases of great philosophers that are framed within apriorism, such as:
- Being is and not being is not It is from Parmenides: Being / what is can be thought and what is not / not being cannot be thought.
- I think therefore I exist fromDescartes: The only way to find the truth is through reason and an individual's experience is not reliable in finding the truth.
Likewise, in our day-to-day life, we can mention phrases that are obvious or a priori, subject to what is preconceived, such as:
- Triangles have three sides and three angles.
- A philosopher knows philosophy.
- An American can speak English.
- A baby cannot speak.
- No married person is single.
If you want to read more articles similar to Apriorism: Meaning and Examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Philosophy.
Bibliography
- Moya, E. (2004). Apriorism and evolution (Kant and Popper's emergent naturalism). Philosophy Magazine, n ° 33, p.p. 25-4
- Moreno Villa, M. (2003) Philosophy. Vol. I: Philosophy of Language, Logic, Philosophy of Science and Metaphysics. Spain: Editorial MAD
