Rationalism vs Empiricism Using Descartes 2nd Meditation & Hume Essay

Q3What be the main differences between sageism and empiricism as approaches to acquaintance? aptize the advantages and disadvantages of each, using Descartes (Second Meditation) as the pillow slip of a rationalist, and Hume or Locke as the example of an empiricist. In your view which approach remediate explains the normal-sense populate of the world that we accommodate for granted? Common-sense intimacy is selective tuition we know and understand unproblematically. It could be that a spider has six legs, your devil times tables or that in state a multiple choice test, it is a good idea to work on a rubber and fill in your answers in pencil.It is information agniseed from public life. Epistemology is a philosophical term in reference to the nature and limitations of knowledge. It addresses for the first time what is knowledge, numberly how is knowledge acquired and thirdly the limitations of knowledge. freethinking and empiricism be two approaches which seek to s upply answers to these questions (Cottingham, 1988). empiricism perceives that the development of concepts and ideas are dependent on the senses (Markie, 2008). Alternatively rationalism ascertains that reasoning, intuition and discount rate are the ultimate vehicles to getting knowledge, not sensory finger.These theories do not necessarily exist in opposition of each other, barely whoremaster co-exist to describe how one and only(a) views the encyclopedism of knowledge in different fields (Markie, 2008). Throughout this essay, I give discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each view using Descartes Second Meditation in contrast to Humes Enquiry Concerning the Hu firearm Understanding. I provide then elaborate how the Empiricist perspective provides a better explanation to common sense knowledge of the world we live in. Rationalism Rationalism is a method in which the criterion of the truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive.The rationalistic perspective sur vives on the assumption that firstly, there is a rational structure to the world and secondly, that people have the capacity to dig out it. It utilises the deductive methods of logic to provide a model for all benignant knowledge and relies on intuition (Markie, 2008). This is not always the case, so this school of thought nominatenot be relied in all circumstances. Rationalism is founded on the dissertation of comprehension/ conditional relation, thesis of Innate Knowledge or Innate Concept thesis separately or in nearly combination (Markie, 2008).The Intuition/Deduction thesis proposes that in a particular subject area, some information is known by intuition alone or that knowledge is gained by demonstration from intuited propositions. Experiences are incapable of developing ones knowledge but can catalyse thinking causing knowledge to develop from unconsciousness to consciousness (Cottingham, 1988). The Innate Knowledge thesis asserts that some knowledge is inherent with in tenderity like DNA, as part of our rational nature. The Innate Concept theory is based on the assertion that some of our concepts are not gained from experience (Markie, 2008).The rational nature organically possesses an idiosyncratics concepts. Sense experiences might catalyse a process by which concepts are better understood but experience does not provide the concepts or determine the information they contain, rationality does (Markie, 2008). Other minor theories which are used less significantly to endorse Rationalism are the emergency of Reason Thesis and the Superiority of Reason Thesis. The Indispensability of Reason theorem states that we gain knowledge in a certain area when we utilise deduction and employ intuition.The Innate concepts and instances could not have been gained by the sense experience. The second strain stems that knowledge gained a priori with reasoning is superior to that gained through experience (Markie, 2008). In reference to Descartes Second Me ditation, he explains how rationality can be used to pick up information that is not on the whole provided by the senses through the example of the hats and coats (Descartes, 1984). Rationalism can provide knowledge which is otherwise unattainable Something which I thought was seeing with my eyes is in fact solely grasped by the faculty of judgement which is my mind. Empiricism Empiricism is the other branch of epistemology, where knowledge is discovered through experience and observation, modelled on natural sciences. Knowledge is a posteriori catalysed by a sensory experience (Markie, 2008). Empiricism is not based on a definitive bonk rational system of knowledge but does provide verifiable understandings and information, reusable for everyday life (Hume, 1975). In David Humes piece An enquiry concerning the homosexual understanding and concerning the principals of morals, Hume purports that themost lively thought is still indifferent to the dullest wiz. Hume interjects tha t thoughts and ideas are less lively perceptions in contrast to impressions where we are support to feel, experience and will (Hume, 1975). He labours his point through the example of the man in a fit of rage, as opposed to someone thinking of espousing those feelings. Rationalism only recalls the information or experience. It is incomparable to the intensity from the sea captain experience provided by empiricism. It might appear that thoughts are without the analogous restrictions the corpse possess (Hume, 1975).In reality they have narrowly confined limits with no more creative power than compounding, transposing, augmenting or diminishing the materials provided by the senses. If a person is without the capacity of one of the senses, they are devoid of the information provided by that sense and are incapable of understanding information attached to that sensation (Hume, 1975). Restoring that sense enables them to receive sensory input, enabling them to conceive the attached id eas. This proves the grandness of the sensory experience and that without it understanding is impossible.Comparison In my opinion, Empiricism better explains the common-sense view of the world. This is because knowledge gained through rational thought however lots you can understand it, is not engrained or integrated into your core beliefs to the same course as that gained through tangible experience. Knowledge gained through experience is more strongly felt and can be considered to be superior to knowledge gained by reflection (Hume, 1975). Without an experience of the subject in focus, the information is detached and reflection cannot proceed to occur.Intuition and deduction, however relevant, are fall in to deception and can lead to inaccurate assumptions. People previously believed the globe was flat and the earth was the centre of the universe, as this information fit their occurrent schemas. It made sense but lead to wrong conclusions as it lacked testing. It is through em pirical observation that accurate insight was reached. Their rational thinking followed consistent deduction and was believed to be correct due to their intuition, but even rational thinking can be fallible leading to wrong assumptions (Descartes, 1984).It is turn up that when people possess strongly held beliefs, they perceive information in such(prenominal) a way to support their current understanding and deny argue views, filtering out information that does not fit their current schemas like place blinkers on a horse. Although they believe their thoughts to be rational, their powers of deduction are compromised and can be rationally wrong. This significantly limits their ability to gain knowledge (Descartes, 1984). end point Rationalism and Empiricism are two distinctly different views relating to epistemology and the degree of input that the senses provide in the formation of knowledge.Rationalism through intuition, deduction and rational logic ascertains certain knowledge which perhaps cannot be scientifically proven through observation (Markie, 2008). On the other hand, Empiricism understands the office staff of sensory experience and observation in order to develop ones knowledge. In reality, both are useful and even meaty to the formation of any knowledge. References Cottingham, P (1988) The Rationalists, Oxford University Press. Oxford New York Descartes, R. (1984) Meditations.Second Meditation, The nature of the human mind, & how it is better known than the body, translated by Cottingham, J. in The Philosophical literary works of Descartes, vol II (Cambridge U. P. , 1984) pp 16-23 Hume, D. (1975) An enquiry Concerning Human Understanding Section 2, Of the Origin of Ideas (P. H. Nidditch, ed. , Oxford Clarendon Press, 1975), pp17-22. Markie, P (2008), Rationalism vs. Empiricism, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, viewed 2nd October 2011, http//plato. stanford. edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/.