'Ruby on Rails,' often simply referred to as 'Rails,' represents a server-side web application framework scripted in Ruby. Conceived by David Heinemeier Hansson and unveiled in 2004, Rails is celebrated for its 'convention over configuration' doctrine, which streamlines the web development journey and fosters expeditious progress.

Operating as a comprehensive full-stack framework, Rails encompasses all requisites for constructing database-driven web applications aligned with the Model-View-Controller (MVC) paradigm. This architectural pattern partitions the application into discrete strata, each bearing well-defined responsibilities, thereby nurturing the creation of tidy, structured, and reusable code.

Rails champions the integration of venerable software engineering blueprints and philosophies, including the active record pattern, convention over configuration (CoC), and don't repeat yourself (DRY) principle. These foundational tenets curtail superfluous code composition and upkeep, imbuing Rails with formidable productivity for web application development.

Ruby on Rails provides a robust arsenal of utilities that expedite the application creation process. Among these are an inbuilt Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) system for seamless database interactions, routing mechanisms, and an extensive library of readily deployable modules and gems, augmenting its feature repertoire.

To summarize, Ruby on Rails emerges as a potent, efficacious, and exceedingly productive framework for erecting resilient web applications. Its commitment to simplicity and convention, harmoniously married to the eloquence of the Ruby programming language, renders it a favored choice among both nascent startups and well-established enterprises for the rapid development of web applications.