Kritik der reinen Erfahrung

work by Avenarius

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June 30, 2026

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Richard Avenarius, in his work Kritik der reinen Erfahrung, argued for a theory of knowledge called empiriocriticism. This theory posits that philosophy's main goal is to establish a "natural concept of the world" based solely on pure experience. Avenarius rejected the traditional philosophical distinction between inner and outer experience, asserting that only pure experience exists. This contrasts with Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, which proposed a "Copernican revolution" in philosophy, suggesting that the knowing subject significantly shapes the object of knowledge through a priori or transcendental factors.12

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Richard Avenarius
…in his most noted work, Kritik der reinen Erfahrung, 2 vol. (1888–1900), argued that there is no distinction between inner and outer experience, but only pure experience.
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…in his most noted work, Kritik der reinen Erfahrung, 2 vol. (1888–1900), argued that there is no distinction between inner and outer experience, but only pure experience.
Read More