Top Dog Analysis: Rationalism and Empiricism
Rationalism and Empiricism were important additions to European history for how they changed the ways philosophers and scientists thought and drew conclusions. Rationalism is a way of thinking characterized by being able to find something to be true through reasoning and debate. Empiricism is being able to find the truth of something through experience.
Empiricism was evident among many scientists during the scientific revolution as natural philosophers attempted to prove their point using credible evidence, especially with Francis Bacon. Bacon was an English scientist who was famous for developing the empirical method, and using experience or experiments to discover a conclusion.
Rationalism was also prominent, but was more prominent among mathematicians, such as Renee Descartes. Renee Descartes is known as the “father of rationalism” because he was the first to really describe what makes a rationalist and why it’s more important than any other way of justification. In his works such as Cogito Ergo Sum, Principles of Philosophy, and Discourse on Method, Descartes elaborated on how anything that the human mind cannot recognize is not true; truth is only attained when it can be broken down without sensory experience, and fully rationally understood
After the Scientific Revolution, rationalism really caught on with philosophes in the Enlightenment. Baruch Spinoza and Immanuel Kant were just two of many famous philosophers who found rationalism to be a substantial part of the journey to truth and knowledge. Immanuel Kant was a unique rationalist who bordered on empiricism (knowledge through experience).
Rationalism and Empiricism became key ways of thinking during the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment because it held scientists and philosophers responsible for truly justifying conclusions they were reaching.
Empiricism was evident among many scientists during the scientific revolution as natural philosophers attempted to prove their point using credible evidence, especially with Francis Bacon. Bacon was an English scientist who was famous for developing the empirical method, and using experience or experiments to discover a conclusion.
Rationalism was also prominent, but was more prominent among mathematicians, such as Renee Descartes. Renee Descartes is known as the “father of rationalism” because he was the first to really describe what makes a rationalist and why it’s more important than any other way of justification. In his works such as Cogito Ergo Sum, Principles of Philosophy, and Discourse on Method, Descartes elaborated on how anything that the human mind cannot recognize is not true; truth is only attained when it can be broken down without sensory experience, and fully rationally understood
After the Scientific Revolution, rationalism really caught on with philosophes in the Enlightenment. Baruch Spinoza and Immanuel Kant were just two of many famous philosophers who found rationalism to be a substantial part of the journey to truth and knowledge. Immanuel Kant was a unique rationalist who bordered on empiricism (knowledge through experience).
Rationalism and Empiricism became key ways of thinking during the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment because it held scientists and philosophers responsible for truly justifying conclusions they were reaching.