STUDENT 24

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University of Professional Studies,Accra *

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105

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Philosophy

Date

Nov 24, 2024

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docx

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2

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Empiricism is the idea that all knowledge comes from what we can experience and observe. Certainly this basis of empiricism has merit because I believe the majority of people learn through what they can observe with their senses and what they have experienced for themselves. However, I think holding only to this idea limits the way in which we can learn about the world around us. If the only way we can learn is through experience, do we not limit ourselves? If we rely only on what we can physically observe with our senses, we also limit ourselves. What about what others have experienced and observed? Can we not learn from others even though we have not experienced or observed the same things? To me, this idea of empiricism, while good, discounts how we can use our minds to learn and this shows the limits to the knowledge of reality that is inherent in empiricism. The idea of empiricism is in direct opposition to the idea of rationalism which maintains that learning can come through reason and logic. To me, empiricism and rationalism are two sides of the same coin. in my opinion we should be using both of these ideas in order to maximize our knowledge about the world around us. We can gain knowledge through the understanding of history and from what other people have been through before us. We may not have physically had the same experiences and we may not be able to observe the same things aside from reading about it or hearing about it. But even though we are limited in that regard, we can still learn and increase the knowledge of our reality. I think this limitation to empiricism is shown quite easily through this class. All of us are not having the same experiences or observations as these philosophers but are we not increasing our knowledge all the same? Our only observation is through reading, and while that may satisfy some small element of empiricism, I don't think it quite fulfills the idea that it is based on. If I am introspective with myself and examine why I act the way I act or believe what I believe, I can use rationalism to increase the knowledge I have about
myself. This seems to be just off course from what empiricism states. Yes, I do have my own experiences, but I'm also using reason and logic as the other side of the coin. F. M. Anayet Hossain, A Critical Analysis of Empiricism https://www.scirp.org/pdf/ojpp_2014080615104881.pdf
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