Introduction to Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about life, the universe, and everything. It can be divided into two main branches: rationalism and empiricism. Rationalists believe that knowledge is derived from reason and experience; empiricists think that all knowledge comes from experience. In this blog, I will discuss the major differences between these two philosophical schools of thought and look at the ways in which they influence our daily lives.
Rationalists base their arguments on a priori reasoning or subjective logic rather than empirical evidence. They maintain that knowledge of facts alone is not sufficient for the acquisition of true knowledge; rather, the use and application of logic are necessary for gaining a deeper insight into a subject. The philosopher Immanuel Kant was a leading figure in the development of rationalism. He was known for his emphasis on the importance of rational thinking and the rejection of inductive reasoning as a means of reaching conclusions about the world. He believed that any knowledge that had not been directly perceived through our senses could not be accepted as valid.
This is often referred to as the principle of empirical idealism and formed the basis of the transcendental argument in his Critique of Pure Reason. Empiricists believe that knowledge comes only from sensory experiences. According to this principle, it is not possible to prove the existence of something that has not already been experienced. This forms the basis of the observation-hypothesis-testing model. It was developed by the English philosopher John Locke and reflects his adherence to the doctrine of empiricism. Locke argued that if a fact can be perceived by the senses, then it must be possible to verify this fact experimentally by obtaining further evidence. He also criticized traditional theories of perception as irrational and illogical.
• Rationalists argue that objective truth is not accessible to human minds until it can be objectively verified through logic and rational analysis. They believe that no amount of empirical evidence can prove the existence of something of which human beings have not previously been aware. On the other hand, empiricists argue that it is possible to reach certain truths on the basis of reason alone.
• Rationalists tend to view reason as the sole source of knowledge and hold that claims to knowledge based on feelings or intuition cannot be valid. Empiricists place greater emphasis on the role of the senses in acquiring knowledge and reject the claim of rationalists that knowledge derived from sensory experience cannot be accepted as valid.
In Book I of the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant argues that it is necessary to adopt a skeptical attitude toward everything we believe to be true because it can never be known with absolute certainty. He argues that we have no way of knowing whether the universe has a beginning or whether it will eventually come to an end. He also disputes the assumption that the mind is totally isolated from the physical world and claims that our bodies and brains are merely extensions of our minds.
(Continue to part 2)
