PHIL101 Empiricism L4

Scepticism

The philosophical viewpoint that questions the justifications for our beliefs, often leading to an infinite regress.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience.

Rationalism

The belief that knowledge can be gained through reason and pure thought, independent of sensory experience.

John Locke

Philosopher known for the idea of the mind as a blank slate (tabula rasa) at birth, emphasizing experience in knowledge acquisition.

A priori

Knowledge that can be known independently of experience.

A posteriori

Knowledge that requires experience to understand or validate.

Analytic judgment

A statement that is true by virtue of the meanings of its terms, such as 'All bachelors are unmarried'.

Synthetic judgment

A statement that is not true solely based on the meanings of its terms, like 'The bachelor is happy', which requires empirical observation.

Illusions

Distorted perceptions that challenge the reliability of our senses as sources of knowledge.

Hallucinations

Perceptions without external stimuli, raising questions about the reliability and nature of sensory experiences.

Primary qualities

Qualities that exist within an object, such as shape and size.

Secondary qualities

Qualities that depend on perception, such as color and taste, and can vary from person to person.

Co-extensiveness

The belief held by Empiricists that analytic judgments are always a priori, and synthetic judgments are always a posteriori.

Sceptical challenge to empiricism

The argument that illusions, dreams, and hallucinations undermine the reliability of sensory experience.