A PRIORI

A priori is a Latin phrase that means "of the above . " The expression is used to demonstrate something that goes from cause to effect. It also refers to what is done prior to reflection on the matter in question.

An example that we can use to fully understand the Latin phrase that concerns us now could be the following: “ Despite what the media had disclosed about the detainees, the judge was clear that he could not and should not judge the case a priori ”.

Regarding this meaning, it must be made clear that whenever this term is spoken of, its antonym inevitably comes to mind: a posteriori. A sentence that can help us to compare and see the difference between the two phrases would be this: "The best and fairest thing is to analyze and study the case in question and thus draw all the conclusions a posteriori."

It is possible to establish a distinction between a priori knowledge (which, according to the philosopher Immanuel Kant , is necessarily universal and true because it does not depend on experience) and a posteriori knowledge (that which is developed empirically).

A priori propositions, therefore, are necessary. Direct proofs in mathematics, for example, belong to this type of utterance. In this way, a priori knowledge makes it possible to anticipate a fact or some of its properties or characteristics.

For scholastic philosophy, a priori propositions appear linked to ontology and are equivalent to what precedes according to causal organization.

For Kant, all empirical knowledge is tied to a priori conditions, which he calls transcendental. As it cannot be empirically verified, reason is the basis for this type of knowledge.

René Descartes , for his part, pointed out that reason has independence from experience. This implies that there is knowledge that is innate (that is, a priori), as he explained with his famous phrase "Cogito, ergo sum" ( "I think, therefore I am" ).

The synthetic a priori , finally, are those associated with the logic (such as "climbing up" ). On the other hand, a posteriori judgments are empirical and are only valid for particular cases, since they are verified with experience ( “Women in Buenos Aires speak more than men” ).

In addition to all the aforementioned, we can establish, in the same way, that the term in question is used as the name of a theatrical management company that began its journey at the end of the 90s under the orders of Joseba García, a member of the Compañía Fuegos Fatuos, and Julio Perugorría, a professional from the theatrical world with extensive experience in it.

The children's show "Cáscaras" (2010) by Jorge Padín, Tirso de Molina's adaptation of "La jealousy of herself" (2009) by Juanma Navas, "Almost Romeo y Julieta" (2007) by Marta Torres or "La Dama Duende ”(2005) also by Marta Torres are some of the theatrical productions that this company A Priori has developed throughout its professional career.