Someone who emphasizes observable facts and excludes metaphysical speculation about origins or ultimate causes.

synonym: rationalist.

Roget 984: heterodoxy; error etc. 495; false doctrine, heresy, schism; schismaticism^†, schismaticalness; recusancy, backsliding, apostasy; atheism etc. (irreligion) 989^†.    bigotry etc. (obstinacy) 606; fanaticism, iconoclasm; hyperorthodoxy^†, precisianism^†, bibliolatry^†, sabbatarianism^†, puritanism; anthropomorphism; idolatry etc. 991; superstition etc. (credulity) 486; dissent etc. 489.    sectarism^†, sectarianism; noncomformity^†; secularism; syncretism^†.    [religious sects.] protestantism, Arianism^†, Adventism, Jansenism, Stundism^†, Erastianism^†, Calvinism, quakerism^†, methodism, anabaptism^†, Puseyism, tractarianism^†, ritualism, Origenism, Sabellianism, Socinianism^†, Deism, Theism, materialism, positivism, latitudinarianism etc. High Church, Low Church, Broad Church, Free Church; ultramontanism^†; papism, papistry; monkery^†; papacy; Anglicanism, Catholicism, Romanism; popery, Scarlet Lady, Church of Rome, Greek Church.    paganism, heathenism, ethicism^†; mythology; polytheism, ditheism^†, tritheism^†; dualism; heathendom^†.    Judaism, Gentilism^†, Islamism, Islam, Mohammedanism, Babism^†, Sufiism, Neoplatonism, Turcism^†, Brahminism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sabianism, Gnosticism, Hylotheism^†, Mormonism; Christian Science.    heretic, apostate, antichrist^†; pagan, heathen; painim^†, paynim^†; giaour^†; gentile; pantheist, polytheist; idolator.    schismatic; sectary, sectarian, sectarist^†; seceder, separatist, recusant, dissenter; nonconformist, nonjuror^†.    bigot etc. (obstinacy) 606; fanatic, abdal^†, iconoclast.    latitudinarian, Deist, Theist, Unitarian; positivist, materialist; Homoiousian^†, Homoousian^†, limitarian^†, theosophist, ubiquitarian^†; skeptic etc. 989.    Protestant; Huguenot; orthodox dissenter, Congregationalist, Independent; Episcopalian, Presbyterian; Lutheran, Calvinist, Methodist, Wesleyan; Ana^†, Baptist; Mormon, Latter-day Saint^†, Irvingite, Sandemanian, Glassite, Erastian; Sublapsarian, Supralapsarian^†; Gentoo, Antinomian^†, Swedenborgian^†; Adventist^†, Bible Christian, Bryanite, Brownian, Christian Scientist, Dunker, Ebionite, Eusebian; Faith Curer^†, Curist^†; Familist^†, Jovinianist, Libadist^†, Quaker, Restitutionist^†, Shaker, Stundist, Tunker &c.; ultramontane; Anglican^†, Oxford School; tractarian^†, Puseyite, ritualist; Puritan.    Catholic, Roman, Catholic, Romanist, papist.    Jew, Hebrew, Rabbinist, Rabbist^†, Sadducee; Babist^†, Motazilite; Mohammedan, Mussulman, Moslem, Shiah, Sunni, Wahabi, Osmanli.    Brahmin^†, Brahman^†; Parsee, Sufi, Buddhist; Magi, Gymnosophist^†, fire worshiper, Sabian, Gnostic, Rosicrucian etc. ... show more

Roget 989: irreligion^†, indevotion^†; godlessness, ungodliness etc. adj.; laxity, quietism.    skepticism, doubt; unbelief, disbelief; incredulity, incredulousness etc. adj.^†; want of faith, want of belief; pyrrhonism; bout etc. 485; agnosticism.    atheism; deism; hylotheism^†; materialism; positivism; nihilism.    infidelity, freethinking, antichristianity^†, rationalism; neology.    [person who is not religious] atheist, skeptic, unbeliever, deist, infidel, pyrrhonist; giaour^†, heathen, alien, gentile, Nazarene; espri fort [Fr.], freethinker, latitudinarian, rationalist; materialist, positivist, nihilist, agnostic, somatist^†, theophobist^†.    ... show more

Dutch: positivist, rationalist, verstandsmens

Of or relating to positivism:
— Positivist thinkers.
— Positivist doctrine.

synonyms: positive, positivistic.

Dutch: positivistisch
Polish: pozytywistyczny