a priori

adjectives

involving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect; not supported by fact
"an a priori judgment"
a priori
antonym
a posteriori
see also
of a proposition that is necessarily true independent of fact or experience
"`all spinsters are unmarried' is an analytic proposition"
analytic, analytical
see also
involving inferences from general principles
deductive
based on hypothesis or theory rather than experiment
a priori
is similar to
concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations
"theoretical science"
theoretic, theoretical

adverbs

derived by logic, without observed facts
a priori
antonym
a posteriori