Katie Albertucci

September 28, 2005

Rationalism vs. Empiricism

        The disagreement between rationalism and empiricism is the way in which we gain knowledge. Rationalism is a theory that reason is the basis of all certainty of knowledge whereas empiricism is based on the principles that all knowledge comes from experience especially that from our senses and that the knowledge we acquire is the basis of our understanding. Each theory, however, has a problem of knowledge because you can never solely have empirical or rational knowledge.

        Rational knowledge occurs in any situation where we are taught something. Impersonal or propositional knowledge are examples of rational knowledge for the reason that through both logic is used to acquire knowledge. Rational knowledge requires the mind to be active in gaining knowledge whereas experience is downplayed. Mathematics is all rational knowledge; we are either taught how to do a problem or through deductive reasoning we are able to find the solution to a problem. There is however a problem of knowledge with rationalism; many people do not learn through being told and therefore they must experience things for themselves. Subconscious knowledge does not come naturally to some people especially children. For example in chemistry we know now, as young adults, that when you are boiling water the burner is hot, however as a child, one might have to feel it for themselves to actually say that the burner is hot. Also another example is being in love, no one can tell you what its like to be in love you must experience it for yourself to truly know what its like.

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        Empiricism, on the other hand, denies that humans have innate ideas or that anything is knowable prior to any experience. Personal knowledge is an example of emprical knowledge, because throught personal experiences you are able to acquire knowledge. For example a person’s beauty can only be determined by the eye of the beholder. One could continously talk about another’s beauty but until you experience the person’s beauty for yourself you cannot say they are truly beautiful. Empirical knowledge commands the mind to be passive but requires one to experience things in order for them to be learnt. A problem of ...

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