How do we gain knowledge from the world?.
From ancient studies to modern research, one question has been pondered throughout history. How do we know what we know?
Do we gain knowledge through sensory experiences? Or does the knowledge already exist in our minds through reasoning?
These ideas of knowledge were discussed throughout history. This idea gained particular attention in the 17th – 18th centuries across Europe. During those periods, people started to study the sources of knowledge. This debate gave rise to the two major concepts in philosophy, empiricism and rationalism. Both concepts study the origin of knowledge. Although empiricism and rationalism have different approaches, they are the main concepts that lay a foundation for modern research, science, and technology. These concepts show how we gain knowledge from the outer world. Is our reasoning and intellect enough to gain knowledge, or do we have other characteristics? Do the environment and our sensory responses also influence our learning and memory? These concepts not only influenced our perspective, but also gave new direction to science, modern research method and psychology.
To find out such answers, philosophers have developed different approaches. Each approach has its own definition of knowledge. In this blog, we are going to discuss some of them.
Empiricism.
According to empiricism, we gain knowledge only through our sensory experiences. It denies the pre-programmed knowledge of the mind. Empiricists believe that the child’s mind is a blank slate at birth, and gradually the child gains knowledge via observation, interaction, and experience. For example, a child learns, the language by modelling and imitating the parents and other family members. Apart from that, the child become fear the electric heater after being touched.
Tabula Rasa (Blank Slate)
Although various philosophers have led the empiricist approach, one of the key roles is John Locke. John Locke suggested the idea of Tabula Rasa in 1689. This concept led to the empiricism approach in Europe. The term suggests that a child’s mind at birth is a blank slate; it doesn’t contain any inner knowledge. Gradually, the child comes to know the world through sensory experiences. Our personality is shaped through our encounters with the outer world.
This concept later influenced the behaviourist school of thought in psychology. Behaviourists suggest that psychology could be the study of learned behaviour. The behaviourist approach assumes that learning is understood as a response to environmental stimuli.
Rationalism
Rationalism, on the other hand, has the opposite view. According to rationalists, knowledge is based on reasoning and innate ideas. It completely denies the concepts of empirical approaches, like Tabula Rasa. The rationalist concept is based on the works of René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza. Rene Descartes famous words “I think therefore I am” are a key dialogue in rational philosophy.
These words “I think their” for “I am” indicate that we have thinking abilities within us. These thinking patterns and actions indicate that a thinker is present in the world. This shows that we as humans are the primary source of making ideas. This philosophical idea simply indicates that humans have innate reasoning and capabilities to solve the phenomena.
For example, we all know that 1 + 1 = 2, but we don’t always rely on our senses for this. We can also know these things through our reasoning and innate knowledge.
Ancient view on rationalism.
The basis of the rationalism vs empiricism debate is also found in Greek history. Socrates, who is considered the father of philosophy, also emphasized the use of reasoning to solve social issues. Hence, we can say that Socrates’ idea of introspection more emphasizes rationalism. After Socrates, his student Plato also believed in Rationalism. Plato developed a new theory of Forms according to which the alien world is a shadow of our internal thoughts.
According to Plato, knowledge is an innate characteristic that is achieved through one’s intellect, rationality, and deep philosophical inquiry. Sensory experiences are not used in this process.
Ancient view on empiricism
Aristotle, Plato’s own students disagreed with the theory of form and rationalism.
From Aristotle’s view, knowledge is gained through the deep observation of the world. Aristotle studied Biology, physics, societies, and other real-world phenomena. He believes that we gather data from the outer world through our sensory responses and then use our reasoning to organize that data into valuable information.
Why is this debate still valuable?
Modern studies rely on both these concepts. Science heavily relies on empirical methods, observations, and case studies, while mathematical research relies on rational methods. Both science and mathematical researches modifies our lies in great extent.
Psychology studies both. Here, we study cognitive structure (rational thinking) and learned behavior from society(empiricism). Today, various studies are being conducted on such queries. And till now, no specific answer has been received which we can consider final. These questions are whether we are shaped by environmental factors (empirical factors) or our personality is based on our inner characteristics only (rationalistic factors)? is still studying further for a proper answer.
Conclusion
We cannot even call rationalism and empiricism opposite theories because they have their own distinct perspectives. Both perspectives have valid points in their own places and represent two different ways of understanding human knowledge.
Modern psychological research suggests that our learning and knowledge require both sensory experiences (empiricism) and internal memory (Rationalism). First, we observe things in the world through our five senses, then we store that knowledge through our mental abilities. Instead of choosing one side completely, modern research suggests that knowledge often emerges from the interaction between experience and reasoning. First, we observe the world through our senses, but we also interpret it through mental frameworks.
So, we can say that the human mind is neither completely blank at birth nor pre-programmed. Knowledge is gained through the combined functionality of rationalism and empiricism.
