Synthetic a priori knowledge

Synthetic a priori knowledge refers to information that isn’t solely derived from experience (like empirical knowledge) but also isn’t just a matter of definition. Instead, it expands our understanding by connecting concepts in a way that is universally true and known prior to specific experiences. For example, the statement “All bachelors are unmarried” is an analytic truth, while “7 + 5 = 12” is synthetic a priori knowledge; it tells us something new about numbers without needing to count objects physically. This type of knowledge is foundational in mathematics and certain areas of philosophy.