Epistemology Empiricism And Rationalism Essay - 1505 Words

The question of whether or not there is a world outside of one’s own mind is a question that has been widely debated over time. This is such a controversial topic because there is no definite answer or explanation that can be proven to be completely accurate. An entire branch of philosophy has become committed to focusing on this topic alone. Epistemology is the study of questions regarding knowledge, how we can prove knowledge, and whether or not as humans we have any limit to the amount of knowledge we can obtain. Skepticism is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as â€Å"the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain;† therefore, it falls under the study of epistemology. In my personal opinion, the idea of being skeptic or unsure of a world outside of one’s mind seems crazy, but delving into the topic has revealed to me many objections as to why one would be skeptical about the world as we know it. There are two main positions in epistemology: empiricism and rationalism. Empiricism is the belief that all of our knowledge must come from sense experience that we have encountered, and there cannot be knowledge that doesn’t come from sense experience (Notes). On the other hand, rationalism is the belief that humans can have another source of knowledge apart from sense experience, and that source of knowledge is reason (Notes). Most people would fall under the category of a rationalist because most people feel as if they have knowledge apart from justShow MoreRelatedEssay on Rationalism vs. Empiricism: The Argument for Empricism855 Words   |  4 Pagessubject of epistemology: rationalism and empiricism. These two, very different, schools of thought attempt to answer the philosophical question of how knowledge is acquired. While rationalists believe that this process occurs solely in our minds, empiricists argue that it is, instead, through sensory experience. After reading and understanding each argument it is clear that empiricism is the most relative explanatory position in epistemology. To begin with the question of rationalism versus empiricismRead MoreRationalism And Rationalism788 Words   |  4 Pagesbe divided into Metaphysics and epistemology. Metaphysics is concerned with what is to be? While epistemology is concerned with concrete knowledge and with â€Å"what is knowledge†? In other words, what can be known, how it came to be known, and the source of knowledge is epistemology. Empiricism and rationalism both deal with the epistemology branch of philosophy. Even more specifically, rationalism and empiricism are concerned with how knowledge is gained. Rationalism argues that knowledge is innateRead MoreEmpiricism Vs. Positivist Theory Of Knowledge1053 Words   |  5 Pages Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that evaluates the acquisition, limitations, and origins of human knowledge. One of the theories found in epistemology is the theory of empiricism. Empiricism is the belief that knowledge is gained through experience, that there is no such thing as â€Å"innate knowledge,† or knowledge that one is born with. Empiricism stands in stark contrast to the rationalist theory, the belief that humans possess innate knowledge, and that one can have knowledge, without sensoryRead MoreEssay on A Study of Epistemology890 Words   |  4 PagesA Study of Epistemology In the sixth century B.C., Homer alludes to a separation of knowledge between the mortals and the gods. He speaks of both gods and human beings as â€Å"knowing things†- creatures of knowledge. However, there is a â€Å"great difference in the quality and the scope of the knowledge available to the two groups† (Everson, Pg.12). For the mortal human being the contrast between â€Å"divine and human knowledge†, paired with possible deception by the gods, has led him to question theRead MoreEssay about Rationalism and Empiricism1486 Words   |  6 PagesRationalism and Empiricism Rationalism and Empiricism are most likely the two most famous and intriguing schools of philosophy. The two schools deal specifically with epistemology, or, the origin of knowledge. Although not completely opposite, they are often considered so, and are seen as the Jordan vs. Bird of the philosophy world. The origins of rationalism and empiricism can be traced back to the 17th century, when many important advancements were made in scientific fields such as astronomyRead MoreWhat I Learned in Philosophy Class1540 Words   |  6 Pagesreason learning. Epistemology, â€Å"Defined narrowly, is the study of knowledge and justified belief. As the study of knowledge, epistemology is concerned with the following questions: What are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge? What are its sources? What is its structure, and what are its limits?† (Steup, plato.stanford.edu/) There are 2 major ideas that can be grouped into epistemology, those being rationalism and Empiricism. Rationalism is the branch of epistemology that believes thatRead MoreConstructivism Essay1400 Words   |  6 Pagesargument with his theory of empirical relativism, or what some may call constructivism. His theory bridges the gap between rationalism and empiricism and proves that empiricists and rationalists each present a piece of the full puzzle. In order to truly understand Kant’s epistemology, one must first review and understand both empiricism and rationalism on an impartial basis. Empiricism Empiricists claim that genuine knowledge comes from experience: a posteriori knowledge. It can be difficult to argueRead MoreOrganizational Epistemology2939 Words   |  12 PagesRunning Head: ORGANIZATIONAL EPISTEMOLOGY    1   Organizational Epistemology St. Rachel E. Ustanny University of Phoenix ORGANIZATIONAL EPISTEMOLOGY    2   There are different perspectives about the origin of knowledge, which have influenced the development of concepts such as a priori and a posteriori truth, epistemic regress, and sensual perception—Descartes (as cited in Cooper, 1999) argued that there are certain undeniable truths, which are obtained from our senses; Feldman (2003)Read MoreEpistemology is the arm of philosophy concerned with the study of knowledge and beliefs. The study500 Words   |  2 PagesEpistemology is the arm of philosophy concerned with the study of knowledge and beliefs. The study first explains the understanding of what constitute knowledge and how to distinguish when someone does something and when one does nothing. Additionally, it examines the extent of use of human knowledge and how one can use reason, senses, past work and resources to acquire specific knowledge. Epistemology seeks to know whether there are limits to acquisition and use of knowledge. It provides answersRead MoreThe Allegory Of The People1374 Words   |  6 Pagesenlightenment of people and their interactions with change called â€Å"the Allegory of the People in the Cave†. Two of the major recurring themes in the story illustrate the epistemological argument as well as the views of rationalism. I will also briefly explore the tangent of Empiricism inspired by the story’s experiences to help understand the cause and effects of ones search for knowledge. In this essay we will summarize the story and explore the philosophical views of those characters in and why