Empiricism Notes

Empiricism

An approach that views experience as the primary source of knowledge, often seen as a response to skepticism.

A Priori Knowledge

Knowledge that can be obtained without consulting experience (e.g., 'All bachelors are unmarried').

A Posteriori Knowledge

Knowledge that requires consulting experience (e.g., 'Tosh has 47,796 hairs on his head').

Analytic Truths

Truths that are true by virtue of meaning.

Synthetic Truths

Truths that are made true by the way the world is arranged.

Rationalist View on Synthetic Truths

Rationalists argue that we can establish synthetic truths about the world purely through reason (a priori knowledge).

Empiricist View on Synthetic Truths

Empiricists believe that synthetic truths can only be obtained a posteriori.

Tabula Rasa

John Locke's concept of 'blank slate,' suggesting humans are born without innate knowledge, and experience fills this slate.

Argument from Illusion

Senses can be deceptive (e.g., a stick appears bent in water).

Argument from Dreams

Experiences in dreams feel real but are not actually happening.

Argument from Hallucinations

Hallucinations create unreal sensory experiences.

Empiricist Response to Skepticism

Sense experience is generally reliable in healthy individuals under normal conditions, and discrepancies can be resolved using other senses and understanding the situation.

Counter-Argument to Empiricist Response

How do we ensure that we are healthy and in normal conditions, and how can people experiencing hallucinations realize they are hallucinating?