English Explanatory Dictionary

rationalism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The theory that reason is a source of knowledge independent of and superior to sense perception.
  2. The theory that knowledge may be derived by deductions from a priori concepts (such as axioms, postulates or earlier deductions).
  3. A view that the fundamental method for problem solving is through reason and experience rather than faith, inspiration, revelation, intuition or authority.
  4. Elaboration of theories by use of reason alone without appeal to experience, such as in mathematical systems.

Pronunciation

/ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəlɪzəm/ en-us-rationalism.ogg

Word forms

rationalism rationalisms

Etymology

From rational + -ism.

Synonyms

apriorism intellectualism

Antonyms

sensationalism irrationalism traditionalism mysticism

Related words

rationalist rationality empiricism

Derived words

antirationalism critical rationalism economic rationalism pseudorationalism

Translations

Arabic: عَقْلَانِيَّة Arabic: عَقْلِيَّة Belarusian: рацыяналі́зм Catalan: racionalisme Chinese Mandarin: 理性主義 /理性主义 Chinese Mandarin: 合理主義 /合理主义 Chinese Mandarin: 唯理論 /唯理论 Chinese Mandarin: 純理論 /纯理论 Czech: racionalismus Dutch: rationalisme Esperanto: raciismo Finnish: rationalismi French: rationalisme Georgian: რაციონალიზმი German: Rationalismus Greek: ορθολογισμός Hebrew: רַצְיוֹנָלִיזְם Hebrew: שְׂכַלְתָּנוּת Hindi: तर्कबुद्धिवाद Hindi: बुद्धिवाद Hindi: तर्कवाद Indonesian: rasionalisme Italian: razionalismo Latvian: racionālisms Malayalam: യുക്തിവാദം Polish: racjonalizm Portuguese: racionalismo Romanian: raționalism Russian: рационали́зм Serbo-Croatian: racionalizam Spanish: racionalismo Tamil: பகுத்தறிவியம் Thai: เหตุผลนิยม Ukrainian: раціоналі́зм Yiddish: ראַציאָנאַליזם
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