- rationalism - (philosophy) the doctrine that knowledge is acquired by reason without resort to experience
--1 is a kind of philosophical doctrine, philosophical theory
- rationalism - the theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth
--2 is a kind of theological doctrine, religious doctrine
--2 has particulars: deism, free thought- rationalism, freethinking - the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct
--3 is a kind of doctrine, philosophy, philosophical system, school of thought, ism
- rationalism - the theological doctrine that human reason rather than divine revelation establishes religious truth