Empiricism and rationalism are two opposing philosophical currents. Both attempt to explain the origin of human knowledge. On the one hand, rationalism defends reason against everything. It says that only through human reasoning can knowledge be achieved. On the other hand, empiricism defends experience as the basis of all knowledge. What is the difference between Rationalism and Empiricism?
Rationalism | Empiricism | |
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| Place and date of origin | Rationalism was created and developed in (continental) Europe, between the 17th and 18th centuries. | Empiricism developed around the same centuries as Rationalism, but in the UK. |
| Introduction | This philosophical current was originally proposed by René Descartes. It is considered that theoretically it complements the criticism of Kant. This philosophical current gives a critical and central role to reason in the process of acquiring knowledge. | On the other hand, in 1689, John Locke wrote his Essay on Human Understanding, in response to Descartes and rationalism. In this, he says that human knowledge only comes after experience. |
| Developing | According to Descartes, only through reason can many universal truths be accessed. The reason, along with access to these truths, would be innate, according to him. Rationalism can be adapted to various other subjects, such as ethics, epistemology, and many others. | Experience is considered to have a central role in the acquisition of knowledge. The human mind is a blank page, ready to write the experiences that are lived, which are the result of human sensations. |
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| Main exponents | René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Blaise Pascal , among others. What is the difference between Rationalism and Empiricism? | John Locke, David Hume, George Berkeley , among others. |
