See Also: rationalism(medicine)
rationalism(dictionary)
rationalism(encyclopedia)
rationalism(dictionary)

rationalism (iou)



rationalism noun. E18.
[from RATIONAL adjective + -ISM, after French rationalisme, German Rationalismus.]
a. Theology. The practice of treating reason as the ultimate authority in religion. Also, the practice of explaining supernatural or miraculous events on a rational basis. E18.
b. Philosophy. The doctrine or belief that reason should be the only guiding principle in life, obviating the need for reliance on or adherence to any form of religious belief. L19.
Hist. The principles of the rational physicians. E19.
Philosophy. The doctrine or theory that reason rather than sense-experience is the foundation of certainty in knowledge. Opp. EMPIRICISM 2. Cf. SENSATIONALISM 1. M19.
The principle or practice of using reasoning and calculation as a basis for analysis, a course of action, etc. E20.
Architecture. A theory of architecture of the mid 19th cent., characterized by geometrical simplicity, functionalism, and sparing use of ornamentation. M20.