What do a priori and a posteriori mean?<\/p>\n
These are both Latin phrases that are used to describe different types of justification for assertions.<\/p>\n
The phrase a priori<\/em> literally translates to \u2018from the former\u2019, and is used to indicate statements whose truth is derived from their very definition or logical construction. They must necessarily be true by virtue of the terms that we, as speakers, have collectively agreed upon. A commonly cited example of a proposition with an a priori<\/em> justification is the following:<\/p>\n This statement is necessarily true by virtue of the meaning of the term \u2018bachelor\u2019. This justification will also carry over to statements that are derived from it.<\/p>\n In contrast, a posteriori<\/em> is used to indicate statements which are justified by reference to some other evidence. For example:<\/p>\n I may be justified in making an assertion like the one above, but this will depend on some fact that is external to the statement itself (whether most bachelors actually do wake up late). In order to demonstrate that I am justified in making this assertion, I may need to gather evidence.<\/p>\n These are both Latin phrases that are used to describe different types of justification for assertions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1943,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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References<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"