- a posteriori/a priori
- A belief is a posteriori if it is held on the basis of experience, and is a priori if it is held on a basis other than experience (or held on no basis at all). Of course, one individual may believe a proposition on the basis of experience and another may believe it on a different basis: for example, you may believe Pythagoras' theorem on the basis of your reasoned proof of it, and I may believe it on the basis that I heard you tell me it was true and that in the past I have found you to be reliable. It follows that this distinction must be drawn at the level of individual token instances of belief, not at the level of propositions believed. Belief in God would be held a priori if, for example, it were held on the basis of the ontological argument. Belief in God would be held a posteriori if, for example, it were held on the basis of the argument to design.See argument, ontological; belief; argument from/to design; empiricism; rationalism; reason; theology, naturalFurther reading: Geivett and Sweetman 1993; Moser 1987
Christian Philosophy . Daniel J. Hill and Randal D. Rauser. 2015.