Rationalism (original) (raw)

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct

Synonyms:

freethinking; rationalism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rationalism" is a kind of...):

doctrine; ism; philosophical system; philosophy; school of thought (a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rationalism" is a kind of...):

philosophical doctrine; philosophical theory (a doctrine accepted by adherents to a philosophy)

Domain category:

philosophy (the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics)

Derivation:

rationalistic (of or relating to the philosophical doctrine of rationalism)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("rationalism" is a kind of...):

theological doctrine (the doctrine of a religious group)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "rationalism"):

deism; free thought (the form of theological rationalism that believes in God on the basis of reason without reference to revelation)

Derivation:

rationalist (someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes)

Credits