Oculism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The belief that vision or the eye is the foremost source of knowledge or understanding
2. A doctrine that prioritizes visual perception as the primary means of grasping reality
3. The philosophical view that sight holds a superior role in human cognition and awareness

Etymology: "Oculus" is the Latin word for eye, and "-ism" is a suffix that marks a doctrine, system, or habit of thought, so the parts combine to describe a view that treats sight as the main route to knowledge. The same suffix appears in "empiricism," where it attaches to the Greek "empeiria" (experience), so the two words share a shape even though one points to the eye and the other to experience in general.