a posteriori
ay pos-TEER-ee-OR-eye
/ˌeɪ pɒˌstɪər.iˈɔːraɪ/
Relating to knowledge that proceeds from observation or empirical evidence.
Dependent on physical experience; verified only after gathering real-world data.
The story behind the word. Latin for 'from what comes after'. It signifies reasoning backward from observed physical effects to underlying causes.
Word relationships
- empirical: Empirical broadly relates to experience; a posteriori explicitly highlights justification after observational proof.
- a priori: A priori knowledge is derived independently of physical sensory experience.
Commonly confused with
- posterior: Posterior refers to physical rear placement or coming later in time, not epistemological justification.
Collocations
- a posteriori knowledge
- a posteriori justification
- a posteriori truth
Example sentences
- "The claim that water freezes at zero degrees Celsius is an a posteriori truth confirmed by experiment." Empirical Philosophy
Memory hook
A POSTERIORI = POST (after) seeing empirical evidence. Known after looking.
When not to use
Do not use to describe hindsight or post-facto rationalizations.
Fun facts
- Empiricists argue that almost all human knowledge regarding the physical cosmos is strictly a posteriori.
Related words
Explore more words
empirical, a priori, experiential, positivism, inductive, epistemic
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