Definition: The word 'antiempiric' comes from the Greek words 'antiphysikos' which means opposite or opposed to the spirits, and 'epistemikos' meaning knowledge, understanding.
Definition: An antiempiric refers to someone who is skeptical or critical of supernatural explanations or ideas that do not align with established scientific evidence. They reject the idea that things are "in control" or "superhuman." Instead, they believe in reason, logic, and empirical evidence.
Examples:
1.
Stephen Jay Gould (1928)
: In his book "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions," he challenges the widely accepted concept of supernatural beings by suggesting that even modern physics has a limited understanding of reality.
2.
Friedrich Engels (1848)
: His famous quote, "Science is the attempt to find out what there is in the world" suggests that science should be objective and not rely on personal beliefs or supernatural explanations.
3.
Paul Halmos (1965)
: In his influential book, "The Definitive Dictionary of Scientific Notations," he challenges the notion that scientific knowledge can be used to understand the natural world by pointing out that most scientific facts are not based on empirical evidence but rather on innate human perceptions and assumptions.
4.
Dr. Howard Ecker (2015)
: In his book "Why Do We Exist?" he discusses how scientific explanations for our existence often involve supernatural elements, such as the Big Bang theory or the theory of evolution by natural selection.
In essence, antiempiricism is about questioning and challenging traditional explanations that rely on supernatural powers or beliefs rather than evidence-based knowledge.