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Lecture 13: Empiricism
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Today’s Lecture In Today’s Lecture We Will:
Continue our investigation into the topic of Epistemology Outline and become familiar with the classical theories of empiricism Examine and evaluate a modern theory of Empiricism; John Locke Attempt to examine Locke’s arguments for empiricism Today’s Lecture
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Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism According to Classical Empiricism:
The mind is a blank slate (tabula rasa) Knowledge of existing things is ‘written’ onto this blank slate through sense experience All Knowledge, concepts, universals, and general ideas come from experience Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism Problem:
How do we arrive at universal ideas on the basis of our limited experience of particular things? Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism Problem:
How do we arrive at universal ideas on the basis of our limited experience of particular things? Aristotle’s Solution: Universal ideas are arrived at through Repeated Experience and Induction Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism Inductive Reasoning: Backgammon is a game
Chess is a game Monopoly is a game Clue is a game Scrabble is a game Go is a game Object 1 is a chair Object 2 is a chair Object 3 is a chair Object 4 is a chair Object 5 is a chair Object 6 is a chair Universal Idea of Games Universal Idea of Chairs Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism Problem:
How do we arrive at universal ideas on the basis of our limited experience of particular things? St. Thomas Aquinas’ Solution: We arrive at Universal ideas by Perceiving their common, essential nature and Abstraction Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism St. Thomas Aquinas’ Theory of Knowledge
We possess an intellectual faculty that allows us to ‘see’ the essence and universals of particular objects; Abstraction. We are able to abstract from individual and particular features and single out essential features Particular Features Plastic, Blue, 10 lb. Wooden, Black/Brown, Shiny Wooden, Black, Shiny Universal Features Used for sitting, four legs, back support. Classical Empiricism
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Classical Empiricism Three Stages of Knowledge 1.
Particular things in the sensible world 3. Knowledge of the world utilizing universal concept 2. Universal concept in the mind 1. John, Jane, Rudolfo, Gretchen. 2. Concept of Human Being 3. Rudolfo is a human being Classical Empiricism
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Modern Empiricism
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John Locke Introduction Lived 1632 – 1704
Very influential philosophical figure Employed an Experimental method Locke was also an important figure in the history of the Enlightenment Had an important influence on the American Revolution Has a character named after him in Lost John Locke
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Modern Empiricism Locke’s Theory of Knowledge
There are two forms of experience: Inner Experience Reflection Processes of cognition External Experience Sensations of objects in the external world Modern Empiricism All knowledge is derived from external and internal Experience
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Modern Empiricism Locke’s Theory of Knowledge:
All ideas (knowledge) comes from experience There are two forms of experience: Sensation (Outer) Reflection (Inner) All ideas are either from inner experience or outer experience There are no innate ideas, only innate faculties Experience Sensation Reflection Simple Ideas Complex Ideas Passive Active Modern Empiricism
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Modern Empiricism Problem:
How do we arrive at universal ideas on the basis of our limited experience of particular things? Complex ideas are created by: Combining simple ideas into one complex idea Comparing and contrasting two ideas without combining them (provides ideas of relations) Abstraction: separating ideas from one another (provides universal ideas) Modern Empiricism
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Locke’s Arguments against Rationalism (Negative arguments)
Locke argues that the theory of innate ideas employed by the rationalists is incorrect for the following reasons (pp ): Rationalists claim that there are certain principles agreed upon by everyone Universal consent proves nothing innate There is no universal consent If there were universal ideas children and ‘idiots’ would possess them Rationalists claim that innate ideas can only be known through the use of reason Knowledge derived from reason is not necessarily innate Reason is only a faculty of deduction Modern Empiricism
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Locke’s Arguments for Empiricism (Positive arguments)
(pp ) Idea is the object of thinking All ideas come from Sensation or Reflection The objects of sensation one source of ideas The operations of our mind the other source of them All ideas are either from sensation or reflection Observable in children Uncompounded appearance The mind cannot make or destroy ideas Complex ideas are created (by the mind) from simple ones Made voluntary Modern Empiricism
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Epistemological dualism
Idea of the water Inner Experience External Experience 1. 3. 2. Water itself
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Locke’s Theory of Knowledge
Idea of the water Water itself Reality Mind The idea of the water corresponds to a real object
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The Problem of Correspondence
But how do we know if our idea of the water corresponds to the water itself? Idea of the water Inner Experience External Experience 1. 3. 2. Water itself
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Modern Empiricism The Problem of Correspondence
Representational theories of perception maintain that everything we know is an idea in the mind that represents or corresponds to something outside of the mind Problem: How do we know if our ideas of an object accurately correspond to the object itself? All we have are ideas of objects We cannot have knowledge of anything that is not an idea Therefore, we cannot have knowledge of an object apart from an idea Therefore, we can never know if our ideas of water correspond to the water itself Modern Empiricism
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Berkeley’s Response to Locke
Idea of the water Water itself Reality Mind Berkeley argues that there is nothing more to an object than the qualities we perceive (the idea) We can never perceive the causes of things we perceive
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