Views of Knowledge-Rationalism

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Views of Knowledge-Rationalism
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Rationalism

• Rationalism- The belief that reason, without the
  aid of sensory perception, is capable of arriving
  at some knowledge, or undeniable truths

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Rationalisms Claims

• We do not rely on sensory experience for some of
  the fundamental knowledge we have
• Some of our knowledge depends solely on our
  mental processes
• Ex. Mathematicians use only a pencil, paper and
  reason

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A Priori Knowledge

• A priori knowledge- underlies our understanding
  of the universe knowledge obtained
  before/without the senses
• All other knowledge depends on A priori
  knowledge
• Most rationalists agree that some knowledge is
  obtained through the senses, but contend that
  knowledge can also be acquired through reason
  alone

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Eastern Philosophy

• Shankara (788-822)
• Concept of sublation-the process of correcting
  an error about reality when it is contradicted by
  a different, more correct understanding of
  reality
• Mirages, dreams and hallucinations are corrected
  by the senses
• Ultimate reality is Brahman

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Other Rationalists

• Plato
• St. Augustine
• Rene Descartes
• Anne Conway
• Benedict Spinoza
• Gottfried Leibniz
• George Hegel

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Descartes Doubt and Reason

• Descartes experienced disillusionment because
  of the turbulent times in which he lived
• (Protestant Revolution, Church beliefs cast into
  doubt, Copernicus Galileo challenged
  religious/scientific truths

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Descartes Doubt Reason

• He had trouble trusting anything and began to
  systematically doubt everything
• The only truth left was that he exists
• Descartes All genuine knowledge is derived
  solely from reason without the aid of the senses
• Descartes used reason alone to explain the
  existence of God, the outer world, his own body
  and other individuals

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Descartes Distinctions

• We know what things are by intuition, or
  perception of the mind, but our perceptions can
  either be confused or clear and distinct
• CLEAR know the nature/essence so well we can
  identify it
• DISTINCT can distinguish it from other things

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Innate Ideas

• How does the mind arrive at knowledge without
  using the senses?
• Innate ideas-ideas present from birth
• Examples of innate ideas- basic principles of
  logic, math science both propositions and
  concepts

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Propositions/Concepts

• Proposition
• The shortest distance between 2 points is a
  straight line
• Every event has a cause
• Nothing comes from nothing
• Concepts
• Point, line, straight
• All these cannot be observed, so they must come
  from the mind!

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Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716)

• Leibniz-the mind at birth has inclinations,
  tendencies to form ideas- as people mature, these
  tendencies turn into fully formed ideas

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Objections to Rationalism

• How can we have knowledge in our minds if we are
  not aware of it?
• Isnt to know something to believe it?
• How can we believe something without being aware
  of it?