a posteriori
adjective
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A posteriori, Latin for "from the latter", is a term from logic, which usually refers to reasoning that works backward from an effect to its causes. This kind of reasoning can sometimes lead to false conclusions. The fact that sunrise follows the crowing of a rooster, for example, doesn't necessarily mean that the rooster's crowing caused the sun to rise.
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A priori and a posteriori are terms that are used especially in logic and philosophy. A priori is from Latin ā priōrī, which means literally, "from what is earlier." A priori knowledge is knowledge that comes from the power of reasoning based on self-evident truths; a priori usually describes lines of reasoning or arguments that proceed from the general to the particular, or from causes to effects. A posteriori is from Latin ā posteriōrī, which means literally, "from what is later." It describes knowledge based solely on experience or personal observation. So, for example, "Every apple is a fruit" is an a priori statement, since it shows simple logical reasoning and isn't a statement of fact about a specific case; "apples are sweet" is a posteriori, as it expresses something the speaker knows from experience.
Examples of a posteriori in a Sentence
Roberta Smith, New York Times, 26 Nov. 2020
Dictionary Entries Near a posteriori
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“A posteriori.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20posteriori. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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