1. (n.) The method or practice of an empiric; pursuit of knowledge by observation and experiment.

2. (n.) Specifically, a practice of medicine founded on mere experience, without the aid of science or a knowledge of principles; ignorant and unscientific practice; charlatanry; quackery.

3. (n.) The philosophical theory which attributes the origin of all our knowledge to experience.

Christian ethics Marxism R and D Stoicism altruistic ethics animalism aretaics atomism behaviorism casuistry categorical imperative commonsense realism comparative ethics control control experiment controlled experiment cut and try deontology dialectical materialism earthliness egoistic ethics epiphenomenalism ethical formalism ethical philosophy ethology ethonomics eudaemonics evolutionism experiment experimental design experimental method experimental proof experimentalism experimentation golden rule hedonism historical materialism hit and miss hylomorphism hylotheism hylozoism intuitionism materialism mechanism moral philosophy natural realism naturalism new realism noble experiment perfectionism physicalism physicism positive philosophy positivism pragmaticism pragmatism realism representative realism research and development rule of thumb secularism situation ethics substantialism temporality tentative method tentativeness testing trial trial and error trying utilitarianism worldliness