A priori is an expression used to refer to a principle prior to experience. A priori is an adverbial phrase in the Latin language, which is not found in the Portuguese language dictionary, but is often used to indicate “what comes before”. E.g.: About the victory in the elections, a priori, it is not possible to draw conclusions.
On the contrary "a priori", the Latin expression "a posteriori", refers to a reasoning that goes back from the effect to the cause.
A priori in philosophy
In Philosophy, the locution a priori it refers to knowledge acquired without relying on experience, which is acquired through deduction.
Man's investigation of knowledge is ancient. Various philosophical theories try to unravel the problems.
For René Descartes, reason is a faculty that is independent of experience, but because of innate knowledge, a priori, where he is limited to a purely analytical judgment, as in his phrase “I think, therefore I am”.
Rationalism accepts the existence of innate truths and truths "
a priori”. Kant made a synthesis of rationalism and empiricism, by keeping the experience given as a reference of all knowledge and affirming, at the same time, the existence of forms “a priori”.In the book “Criticism of Judgment”, Kant established the character “a priori” of the aesthetic judgment, defining the beautiful as an “endless end” and calling transcendental aesthetics the science of all principles “a priori” of sensitivity.