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nts or disciples of Descartes and Johann Gottlieb Fichte, which finds all the elements of knowledge in the ego and the relations which it implies or provides for.

The method or practice of an empiric; pursuit of knowledge by observation and experiment.

Want of knowledge; lack of sense; vacuity of mind. Eternal smiles his emptiness betray. Pope. The sins of emptiness, gossip, and spite. Tennyson.

Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy; as, empty brains; an empty coxcomb. That in civility thou seem'st so empty. Shak.

The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.

The art of writing or compiling encyclopedias; also, possession of the whole range of knowledge; encyclopedic learning.

The compiler of an encyclopedia, or one who assists in such compilation; also, one whose knowledge embraces the whole range of the sciences. The Encyclopedists, the writers of the great French encyclopedia which appeared in 1751-1772. The editors were Diderot and D'Alembert. Among the contributors were Voltaire and Rou…

ree scope or greater scope to; also, to dilate, as with joy, affection, and the like; as, knowledge enlarges the mind. O ye Corinthians, our . . . heart is enlarged. 2 Cor. vi. 11.

the mind; ennoblement, as of the feelings and character; as, an enlargement of views, of knowledge, of affection.

To make clear to the intellect or conscience; to shed the light of truth and knowledge upon; to furnish with increase of knowledge; to instruct; as, to enlighten the mind or understanding. The conscience enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God. Trench.

; to render opulent; to increase the possessions of; as, to enrich the understanding with knowledge. Seeing, Lord, your great mercy Us hath enriched so openly. Chaucer's Dream.

The theory or science of the method or grounds of knowledge.

Characterized by extensive reading or knowledge; well instructed; learned. "A most erudite prince." Sir T. More. "Erudite . . . theology." I. Taylor. -- Er"u*dite`ly, adv. -- Er"u*dite`ness, n.

That branch of knowledge which has for its subject the characteristics of the human family, developing the details with which ethnology as a comparative science deals; descriptive ethnology. See Ethnology.

ining or improvement whether physical, intellectual, or moral; practice to acquire skill, knowledge, virtue, perfectness, grace, etc. "Desire of knightly exercise." Spenser. An exercise of the eyes and memory. Locke.

An act of knowledge, one or more, by which single facts or general truths are ascertained; experimental or inductive knowledge; hence, implying skill, facility, or practical wisdom gained by personal knowledge, feeling or action; as, a king without experience of war. Whence hath the mind all the materials of reason and…

that experience, either that ourselves or of others, is the test or criterion of general knowledge; -- opposed to intuitionists. Experientialism is in short, a philosophical or logical theory, not a philosophical one. G. C. Robertson.

rienced person; one instructed by experience; one who has skill, experience, or extensive knowledge in his calling or in any special branch of learning.

surveying; to extend a cord across the street. Few extend their thoughts toward universal knowledge'. Locke.

ller number of objects; -- correlative of intension. The law is that the intension of our knowledge is in the inverse ratio of its extension. Sir W. Hamilton. The extension of [the term] plant is greater than that of geranium, because it includes more objects. Abp. Thomson.