Un axioma es una proposición que se considera «evidente» y se acepta sin requerir demostración previa. En un sistema hipotético-deductivo es toda proposición no deducida (de otras), sino que constituye una regla general de pensamiento lógico (por oposición a los postulados). En lógica y matemáticas, un axioma es una premisa que, por considerarse evidente, se acepta sin demostración, como punto de partida para demostrar otras fórmulas. Tradicionalmente los axiomas se eligen de las consideradas «afirmaciones evidentes», porque permiten deducir las demás fórmulas. En lógica un postulado es una proposición no necesariamente evidente: una fórmula bien formada (planteada) de un lenguaje formal utilizada en una deducción para llegar a una conclusión. En matemática se distinguen dos tipos de proposiciones: axiomas lógicos y postulados.

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An axiom or postulate is a statement that is taken to be true, to serve as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. The word comes from the Greek axíōma (ἀξίωμα) 'that which is thought worthy or fit' or 'that which commends itself as evident.' The term has subtle differences in definition when used in the context of different fields of study. As defined in classic philosophy, an axiom is a statement that is so evident or well-established, that it is accepted without controversy or question. As used in modern logic, an axiom is simply a premise or starting point for reasoning. As used in mathematics, the term axiom is used in two related but distinguishable senses: and . Logical axioms are usually statements that are taken to be true within the system of logic they define (e.g., (A and B) implies A), often shown in symbolic form, while non-logical axioms (e.g., a + b = b + a) are actually substantive assertions about the elements of the domain of a specific mathematical theory (such as arithmetic). When used in the latter sense, "axiom", "postulate", and "assumption" may be used interchangeably. In general, a non-logical axiom is not a self-evident truth, but rather a formal logical expression used in deduction to build a mathematical theory. As modern mathematics admits multiple, equally "true" systems of logic, precisely the same thing must be said for logical axioms - they both define and are specific to the particular system of logic that is being invoked. To axiomatize a system of knowledge is to show that its claims can be derived from a small, well-understood set of sentences (the axioms). There are typically multiple ways to axiomatize a given mathematical domain. In both senses, an axiom is any mathematical statement that serves as a starting point from which other statements are logically derived. Within the system they define, axioms (unless redundant) cannot be derived by principles of deduction, nor are they demonstrable by mathematical proofs, simply because they are starting points; there is nothing else from which they logically follow otherwise they would be classified as theorems. However, an axiom in one system may be a theorem in another, and vice versa. Whether it is meaningful (and, if so, what it means) for an axiom, or any mathematical statement, to be "true" is an open question in the philosophy of mathematics.

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