Rationalism vs. Empiricism
•	Have different explanations for relationships between experience and knowledge
•	Methodological vs. epistemological 
–	Methodological
•	How we should ideally acquire truth
•	Importance of systematic observation
•	Intuitions vs. proof
Empiricism I
•	Associated with British and Americans
•	Knowledge comes only from experience
•	The mind is passive
–	If formed from experience
–	Activity restricted to forming associations
–	Knowledge is perception of associations
Empiricism II
•	Reductionism
–	Atomism
–	That which is simple is more basic
–	Reduction of
•	Psychology to biology to physics (although not all agree)
•	Later events to earlier
•	Complex ideas to more simple
•	Mechanism – both behavior and thought seen as due to mechanical laws
•	Certainty of knowledge results from
–	Clarity of experience
–	Or clear deduction
Empiricism III
•	Learning is crucial
–	Building associations
–	Past more important than present
•	Therefore environment is crucial
•	Hedonism
•	Society is formed from independent people
–	Egoism
–	Hedonism
–	Gravity metaphor
Rationalism I
•	Usually associated with French and Germans – Continental
•	Knowledge comes from activity of mind
–	Mind exists prior to experience 
–	Must have a mind to have experience
–	Nativism is often indicated
•	Mind directs experience
Rationalism II
•	Mo reductionism
–	Ideas understood in full complexity
–	Reduction to simple ideas is not useful
•	Organic metaphor
•	Certainty results from
–	Clear intuitions
–	Mathematical or logical deduction
Rationalism III
•	Learning is important but not foundational
•	Environment important in crating proper structures
•	Hedonism not stressed
–	People are not only pleasure seeking’
–	Altruism part of human nature
•	Society has its own integrity
–	Natural rights rather than utilitarianism
–	Cannot reduce society to individuals
Comparison

Empiricism	Rationalism	
		
British	Continental	
Experience	Experience guided by mind	
Mind is passive	Mind is active	
Reductionism	Anti-reductionist	
Mechanism	Organic	
Certainty from clarity of experience	Intuition	
Learning & environment crucial	Learning downplayed	
Hedonism/Utilitarianism	Multiple Motives/Natural Rights	
Society reduced to individuals	Society has own integrity