A priori

Latin term meaning "from the former, from the first." Modern usagehas deviated significantly from the Latin. An a priori conclusion or judgmentis one that is necessarily true, that is neither proved by nor capable of beingdisproved by experience, and that is known to be true by a process of reasoningindependent of all factual evidence. The term is commonly used to indicate ajudgment that is widely believed to be certain or that is introducedpresumptively, without analysis or investigation. Thus to accuse someone ofhaving assumed a fact or conclusion a priori is often to disparage him or herfor having failed to support a judgment through evidence or analysis. Compare Aposteriori.