Rationlism Flashcards
What is Rationlism?
The school of thought that believes we gain knowledge through reason/rationlising.
Explain the ‘veined marble’ analogy.
Some rationlists believe we are born with innate knowledge and through reason we unlock this knowledge. A veined marble in which the veins form a statue is like the mind; you can chip away at it until it is perfect formed just like unlocking all your knowledge through reason.
Criticisms of Rationlism: Is there such a thing as necessity?
Just because something has been the case so far, it doesn’t mean it always will be. A rationalist cannot know that when a ball is thrown in the air it will fall back down again whereas an empiricist can assume it is the case from previous experience. Thus Rationalists cannot rely on necessary truths in deductive reasoning.
Criticisms of Rationlism: Explain Humes fork
Because rationlists cannot use experience to gain knowledge their knowledge must be very limited, only a priori truths. Any other knowledge must mix matters of fact and relations of ideas and is not proper knowledge at all.
Criticisms of Rationlism: The feeling of neccesity
A rationalist might believe when water comes into contact with metal it sets it on fire. The only way to prove them wrong is through experience but this would mix knowledge types and not be knowledge.
