Empiricism and rationalism: differences and similarities

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The empiricism and rationalism are two currents, which a priori, present large differences with each other, but they also keep certain similarities. To begin with, the main concern of both is that of knowledge, and more specifically, of how knowledge is possible. And this is precisely at the point where they cannot agree. In order to the empiricists, knowledge comes from experience, while for rationalists, it is only possible to know through reason, since that the human mind has innate ideas, which will also be denied by the empiricist position, which defends that the human mind is like a clean sheet. If you want to know more, continue reading this lesson from a PROFESSOR where we will discover the differences and similarities of empiricism and rationalism.

Index

1. Definition of rationalism and empiricism
2. Differences between rationalism and empiricism
3. Similarities between rationalism and empiricism
4. Inmanuel Kant, the overcoming of two opposite positions

The discussion between both positions was especially relevant during modernity, therefore, we will stick to developing the differences and similarities between rationalism and empiricism in modernity.

Rationalism

The rationalism is a philosophical position that defends that reason is independent of the experience and the stock of innate ideas, which constitute the origin of knowledge. Thus, for rationalists, knowledge comes from reason and not from sensible experience.

Reality does not depend on the senses, the outside world is independent of experience. The method used by rationalists to know reality is the deductive, and the mathematical model. The main representatives of rationalism in modernity are Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza Y Leibniz.

“Get rid of all the impressions of the senses and imagination and trust only reason ” Rene Descartes.

Empiricism

The empiricism is a philosophical position that states that ideas and knowledge come from experience. A) Yes, deny the existence of innate ideas contained in the human mind. These, they defend, are formed in the mind from perception, from sensible experience.

The foundation of knowledge is, then, experience, and in it is also the limit of it. They bet on the inductive method, like the natural sciences. The main representatives of modern empiricism are Locke, Berkeley and Hume.

“There is nothing in the intellect that was not previously in the senses”. John Locke

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In order to address this lesson on the differences and similarities of empiricism and rationalism, we will start by looking at all those points that make both thoughts different from each other. Here we discover the main differences between the two philosophical currents:

Characteristics of rationalism

• All knowledge comes from the senses
• Ideas are the foundation of knowledge
• They defend the existence of innate ideas in the human mind
• Trust in the power of reason
• Mathematics provides the model of knowledge. Deductive method
• Human reason can have an obvious knowledge of reality

Characteristics of empiricism

• All knowledge comes from experience
• Perception is the foundation of knowledge
• The human mind is a clean sheet, innate ideas do not exist
• Trust in the power of the senses
• Physics provides us with the keys to understand the world, reality and the human being. Inductive method
• A sure knowledge of reality is not possible

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We have seen that there are important differences between rationalism and empiricism, but they also maintain some similarities. Let's see them!

1. Both positions have the same theme for reflection: the problem of knowledge and from method that makes knowledge possible.
2. Empiricism and rationalism understand philosophy from the point of view of epistemology.
3. Both doctrines rely on autonomy of reason, which is self-sufficient, and only through it is it possible to free oneself from the prejudices of authority, tradition and faith.
4. Both doctrines affirm that reality is but one mental representation.
5. The subject is the foundation of knowledge, which in this way, remains locked in the mind of the individual (epistemological solipsism).
6. The fundamental theme of both is correspondence between knowledge and reality.

And with this, we end this lesson on the differences and similarities of empiricism and rationalism, we hope you liked it!

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Philosophical criticism from Immanuel Kant, manages to synthesize both doctrines by defending that there are two types of knowledge: sensitivity and understanding. The first comes from experience, from the data of the senses. The second, although part of the data of the senses, is independent of these.

Knowledge will now depend on the subject, which determines the object (Copernican Twist). From sensitive perception, the subject makes a mental representation of the object, apprehends it, that is, knows it. Therefore, knowledge would be a representation in the mind of the subject.

If you want to read more articles similar to Empiricism and rationalism: differences and similarities, we recommend that you enter our category of Philosophy.

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