Empiricism and Experience

Do we have innate ideas? Offer your view with reference to the work of Descartes and Locke

This author ascribes to the empiricism paradigm. This paradigm is similar to empirical knowing in that it is based on the premise that what is known can be verified through the senses, or

The empiricist following throughout Western philosophy was started by John Locke. In spreading this new idea of learning, he saw his mission as clearing away the metaphysical rubbish left by rationalists which was hindering the path to knowledge. Locke rejected many of the ideas which Descartes fought for. Rationalists claimed there to be two fundamental innate ideas, the logical principles of identity and non-contradiction. Locke argued that for any innate ideas to exist they must be approved by everyone. He decided that a test should be created, thus determining if these ideas reside in the minds of everyone regardless of age or education. In his study he found that these principles, as he suspected, failed to be universally assented.

Empirical way of knowing simply refers to the science of nursing. Empirical knowledge, on the other hand, describes theories and laws that are systematically organized to describe, explain, and predict a phenomenon (Turton, 1997). Nursing is a professional area that requires a vast amount of knowledge in order to deliver services effectively. Empirics, therefore, define factual knowledge of science that helps to underline nursing as a science and must thus be practiced in an organized way.

Locke’s states that “All knowledge comes from the senses through experience” interpreted when Locke’s “blank slate” idea to when we are kids we know nothing. Our brains have to make connections to things and these connections are gained through experience and continues

Though there are many good and bad aspects of the scientific method, there is an underlying fault with all of them. The scientific method in psychology relies on empiricism. Empiricism is a view that all knowledge is derived from experience. The scientific method can ultimately be split into two attitudes. The first is the dogmatic attitude. Dogmatism is the wish to impose regularities on the basis that repetition of regularly occurring events mean that a belief in

Almost everyone will agree that the brain is a powerful organ. The mind is capable of many things but Aristotle made efforts to show that the mind is capable of taking information from objects around us that we are conscious of. This is call sensory data. We use our mental power, which is our receptive intellect, to save up information in the form of concepts. This idea is call epistemological. If we look at this theory closely we will see that Aristotle is pointing out that if we learn by using our senses then it is natural that education will follow this pattern. He mentioned that if students examine objects then they should categorized and recognized similar objects. Therefore, by examining a chair, students will be able to tell that all chairs have legs.

Secondly, George Berkeley, a representational idealist, believes that knowledge comes from experience, but he perceives his thoughts in a different way then Locke. He doesn't believe that things from your senses can be reality. Berkeley believes that if our minds did not produce an idea, then God delivered and perceived his experiences to us, but he also says that empiricism and Christianity cannot be used together. We have a small role to play out and God makes sure that everything gets done. Berkeley was very mind dependent; he had faith that there is no world without a mind. With this in mind, he felt that all objects we encounter in experience are nothing more than mind-dependent collections of ideas. This is known as Esse est percipi, or "To be is to be perceived." He also believed that reality is nonphysical and everything that exists is either minds or the ideas they perceive.

Empiricism states that knowledge is based on experience, so everything that is known is learned through experience, but nothing is ever truly known. David Hume called lively and strong experiences, perceptions, and less lively events, beliefs or thoughts. Different words and concepts meant different things to different people due to the knowledge, or experiences they have. He believed, along with the fact that knowledge is only gained through experience, that a person’s experiences are nothing more than the contents of his or her own consciousness. The knowledge of anything comes from the way

Empiricism, an approach to knowledge that requires our senses and can be observed though evidence. As well as the reasoning to scientific method, thus think rationally. Empiricism signifies the seed of knowledge, to enumerate empiricism is to have imagination. To clarify empiricism, it is to have an understanding of everyday life experiences. In fact, empiricism can go back to Enlightenment because it’s the understanding of social life and the basics of human nature though logic and reason. For instance, when researching it is based on evidence and facts, especially when using our senses: observing, touching or even smelling. Which concludes to Empiricism is based on observation and our senses.

     Locke instead is an empiricist, and therefore he directly critiques Descartes epistemic system and tries to establish his own foundation of knowledge. Locke believes that our knowledge of the world comes from what our senses tell us. Locke’s theory state that we are all born with a blank slate, tabula rasa, before we

John Locke (1632-1704) was the first of the classical British empiricists. (Empiricists believed that all knowledge derives from experience. These philosophers were hostile to rationalistic metaphysics, particularly to its unbridled use of speculation, its grandiose claims, and its epistemology grounded in innate ideas) If Locke could account of all human knowledge without making reference to innate ideas, then his theory would be simpler, hence better, than that of Descartes. He wrote, “Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without any ideas: How comes it to be furnished? To his I answer, in one word, from EXPERIENCE.” (Donald Palmer, p.165)

Behaviorism has often been described as too predictable, for neglecting the role of internal states including memory, emotions, thoughts, and motivation in individuals’ behavior. Similarly, behaviorism postulates that all behaviors can be observed when in fact subjective processes such as thinking, and feeling are subjective measures. The method of introspection is also rejected by proponents of behaviorism despite its importance in understanding individuals subjective experience of phenomena. For instance, how individuals perceive the experience of having a headache. Furthermore, the role of biological influences on individuals’ behaviors is neglected

Kant believes that questioning rationalism is the building block of knowing what is true and what is not and the difference between them. Empiricism only bases the truth on what is observable by the senses, yet since the senses can be fallible the truth is not guaranteed.