the culture

Meaning of the word “a priori”

Meaning of the word “a priori”
Meaning of the word “a priori”

Video: A priori - Meaning | Pronunciation || Word Wor(l)d - Audio Video Dictionary 2024, July

Video: A priori - Meaning | Pronunciation || Word Wor(l)d - Audio Video Dictionary 2024, July
Anonim

It is very funny to hear "adults", "smart" speech from the mouth of the baby. It’s especially touching when a little man seems to use them out of place, but somehow it’s not very successful … And people in years, from the height of their experience and worldly wisdom, condescendingly laugh at him, calling it a "joke".

The situation is different when an adult, in order to appear smarter or more educated, uses “beautiful” and “fashionable” words and expressions in his speech, not knowing their exact meaning. And those mistakes that are excusable to children look in this situation, to put it mildly, unsightly.

For example, few people think about the meaning of the word “a priori”, using, meanwhile, to the right and to the left. But this beautiful word of foreign origin means the statement of something expressed before receiving experience confirming this fact.

Now let's think deeper: is it possible to a priori say something today? That is, to affirm, knowingly knowing the meaning of the word “a priori”: without relying on previously gained experience (one's own or another's) and not fearing the fallacy of one's views on this issue. Answer: it is practically impossible, because any unproven statement can be refuted. And this is just proven by science. And the meaning of the word “a priori” is precisely based on the truth of the stated fact.

Image

For example, the assertion that inanimate nature cannot think, feel, change from human words and thoughts, today refuted the results of numerous experiments. And the experience with ordinary water, which was carried out in this way, proves the “feelings” of inanimate nature.

Three cans poured the same water. They constantly talked with one can, saying beautiful and kind words. The second can “heard” only declarations of love. But the third bank “got it to the fullest”: they cursed, scandalized, and called around her.

After freezing the experimental samples taken from all three cans, the water molecules were subjected to careful analysis. In the samples of the first two cans, the molecules had a distinct crystalline structure of a hexagonal regular star, resembling a snowflake. The molecular structure of the third can was broken, completely unlike either a snowflake or an asterisk.

Image

Similarly, by conducting a variety of experiments, performing calculations and providing evidence, science has destroyed many axioms that people used to believe unconditionally, without going into the essence. They just believed - that's all. The earth is flat - a priori. A stone always falls to the ground - a priori. The meaning of the word itself already says that you do not even need to conduct experiments, just believe - and that’s it!

But Copernicus considered that a priori - this is not proof. He took and questioned this statement. And then he completely proved the opposite to the whole world. And space exploration surprised everyone with the fact that a stone thrown in open space does not at all tend to Earth …

Image

Well, this is scientific knowledge. But what about ordinary life? For example, you can say: “On the street, rain and dirt, you go without boots - a priori, get dirty!” After all, this statement cannot be refuted, no matter what experiments are carried out!

And then a mistake comes out. Indeed, the meaning of the word “a priori” indicates that the statement should not be based on experience. And in this case, the expression is just based on the personal experience of the speaker.

But for a child, the words of an adult should just be a priori - an immutable truth that does not require proof. But - alas … Children also question everything, they check everything with their own skin. And this, as, again, experience proves, is true - words are words, but what if everything is completely wrong? After all, all discoveries are made by people for whom “a priori” is simply a beautiful word, nothing more.