Essays on Empiricists

There is vast literature on the topic of epistemology in the world today. Ladyman defines it as the process of studying knowledge and the justified belief (Ladyman, 49). This begs the question, how is knowledge studied? Understanding the conditions, the sources, the structure and the limits of knowledge plays a role in understanding knowledge. In addition to understanding knowledge and what it entails, epistemology also looks at the concept of justified belief. Under this armpit, one seeks to understand issues such as the justification of justified beliefs, whether the aspect of justification is external or internal to a person’ ...

The Age of Enlightenment is also commonly referred to as the Age of Reason. It lasted from 1650 to 1800. Many agree that the cause of Enlightenment was the Thirty Year War (1618-1648) though it was only an outcrop of many underlying issues that faced Europe at the time (Broner, 122). It came to an end during the French revolution. It is such wars that motivated German philosophers and authors to criticize the idea of nationalism and wars to protect nationhood. The German authors included Hugo Grotius and John Cornenius, who were the pioneers of the ideas that formed ...

Rene Descartes’ Discourse on the Method is one of the most important philosophical texts of all time. In it, the philosopher attempts to determine how he should correctly determine his lines of logic in order to ascertain truth. He believes that this may only be possible when one puts into question the judgments and prejudices that one has formed across one’s life. These jumps in logic are usually kept uncontested throughout one’s life, leading reasoning astray. This skeptical method is necessary because these preconceived notions lead thinking astray, making it jump to answers that are not necessarily ...

Abstract

The following questions will be answered in accordance with the perspective of Hutchison (2013):

1. Define each of the dimensions and give examples of Manisha’s journey for each dimension. 2. How does knowledge of these terms contribute to culturally sensitive social work practice? 3. Cite examples of how you think these theories would help with assessment and intervention in your practice with client. Provide a rational for your answer. 4. Which theoretical perspective would you evaluate as meeting the most criteria for judging social theory? Provide a rationale. 5. In a short answer list and explain the three factors associated ...

- Describe the basic issues in metaphysics and epistemology between Idealists and Materialists

Metaphysically and epistemologically, the philosophical view that human beings have both mind and body is termed as dualism. However, there is much philosophical disagreement (dichotomy) about the exact association between mind (spirit) and body (matter).

Idealists hold the view that the mind is distinct from physical objects while the materialists maintain the exact opposite. For the former, the self and personality are attributable to one’s immortal soul while for the latter, they assert that the mind (soul) is in some ways a product of the body. Furthermore, generally, idealists hold the view that the act of knowing takes place ...

There are various theories that have been derived in an attempt to explain the behaviors of people. All these theories have an explanation behind the behaviors of people as well as the different reasons as to why the people behave the way they do. Below is a discussion of some of the theories that come into play.

There is the platonic argument (Matus Para. 6). This theory has it that the people define reality from what they have observed. This is seen in the allegory of caves. The people in the caves had known only the shapes they saw on ...

Hypothetically, evidence and theory are alike. However, they are not the same in practice. Evidence-based practice has acquired eminence over most theoretical techniques in a number of fields, particularly in the sphere of health care. Both practices share the mutual objective of making the correct decisions and finding the most efficient solution for an identified difficulty. However, the two practices posses some underlying philosophical distinctions (Gilles, 1998).

Features

The distinction between the two practices can be traced to an ancient rift frequently found in philosophy and science, rationalism versus empiricism. Rationalists claimed that their senses are limited and that they place ...

Introduction

Language acquisition denotes the procedure by which humans gain the ability to recognize and understand language, along with the ability to create and make use of words and sentences for the purpose of communication. Language acquisition is considered to be one of the exemplary human qualities, Philosophers in early societies were concerned in how humans gained the ability to comprehend and create language well ahead of experimental methods for trying those theories that were developed. However, for the major part they seemed to consider language acquisition as a division of man's ability to gain information and become skilled at ...

The old age debate on nature versus nurture is still enjoying heated debate in the field of psychology. The controversy is on where human beings acquire their traits, could it be the environment or the inborn characteristics? There are those who believe that the human behavior influenced by the “nature” while others believe that it is the “nurture” that dictates traits (Buss, 2012). Nature in this debate is the total of what human beings come to the world with, whereas nurture is the influence that the one gets after birth. The behavior of man is said to be because ...

X X X X X 1 Introduction Since the 1930s a new philosophical direction developed almost without recognition of the public. Since then it gained in importance, till it has reached quite recently the predominant role. While this philosophical movement was in the beginning described as Logical Empiricism, or Neopositivism it is nowadays much more accurately described bas Analytical Philosophy. It conducts language and notion analysis on the basis of logic. Gaining popularity in the last years it has altered and even erased some old concepts of classical philosophy. - Vienna Circle ...

Jane Addams is one of the influential philosophers in the history. She is regarded as one of the most important thinkers in the history of the modern America. Her thought and influence in the western thought cannot be measured. She is considered as the starting point of the inspiration of the idealism in America during the late 19th and early 20th century. Her contributions to the metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, as well as aesthetics have had an effect on almost all the philosophical movements after him (Addams 4). Her masterworks include the critique of critical thinking as well as the ...

Georg Lukacs and Sandra Harding on Standpoint Epistemology

Introduction In general, standpoint epistemology (SE) aims to represent the world from a particular socially situated perspective or standpoint (Lammey, 2013). For both Lukacs and Harding, the standpoint taken is that of the marginalized: the proletariat and the women, respectively. It is believed that the lives of the marginalized can actually lay a claim to epistemic privilege and the production of knowledge precisely because of their unique sets of experiences in comparison with dominant classes or sex which fails to ‘critically and systematically interrogate their advanced social situation and the effect of such advantages on their beliefs’ (Harding, 1993) leaving ...

Immanuel Kant argues that he is enacting a Copernicus Revolution in Philosophy following his introduction of an absolute construction that brought an end to the differences between empiricists and rationalists. Indeed, Kant employs metaphoric language for in essence he refers to the effect his works has on philosophy. These effects are equated to the effects Nicolas Copernicus’s works had on astronomy. Indeed, Kant’s approach is seminal for it influences the direction in philosophy and lays the ground for future thinking. He argues convincingly of the central role the brain plays in the human thought processes. Kant advances the ...

This is a five page APA citation style position paper with two references cited. The subject of improving data collection and data analysis methods in sociological research will be explored. The implications of the implementation of improved data collection and data analysis methods will be discussed.

Introduction

Sociological researchers and other social empiricists are usually disturbed by the negation of many of the empiricists whom practice the physical sciences to recognize the scientific aspect of the study of sociological theory. At times, this has been considered to be a form of class distinction or a strategy directed at diminishing the number of available ...

Philosophy

Empiricism vs. Absolutism William James and Charles Sanders Peirce are both credited for their philosophical conceptualization of “pragmatism” in the late 19th century. (Point 304) Charles Peirce was hailed the “father of pragmatism” (“Pragmatism”) as he initiated the idea, while James propagated it (Point 304). Though the two philosophical fathers differ in the scope of their definition of pragmatism (Point 304), both agree that pragmatism is the philosophy that the truth is proven by practical means, to say in the simplest amd, perhaps, inadequate words. It is a breath of fresh air from philosophical ideas of pursuing the truth ...

Introduction

“That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.” - Christopher Hitchens Such brazen remark would seem highly provocative at first instance, as it tackles a particularly sensitive component of epistemology – evidence. There are numerous debates surrounding the study of evidence, being undoubtedly controversial due to the contentious definition of knowledge. Nevertheless, it does not mean to say that the subject matter does not render any possible resolutions, albeit the debate will carry on as various schools of thought hold different stands on knowledge. This study will ...

Arguably, psychology is not a discipline that developed overnight. For many centuries and years, psychology has undergone tremendous growth from the simplest form of psychological ideas to become a science on its own. There are many philosophers who are historically linked with the formation of psychology as a discipline. As a matter of fact, before psychology became a discipline and a science, various intellectuals are known to have contributed to philosophical concepts behind psychology. This relationship can be linked back to the Renaissance period, middle age, and Greeks. In the early 19th and late 18th century, a link between modern psychology and philosophy became possible (Goodwin, ...

Ideally, language is an acquired attribute of human life that is used for communication (Finn, 2010). The acquisition process is partly innate and partly environmental oriented. This implies that a language is both a natural gift and also a nurtured aspect of life. Language acquisition is a procedural process which entails specific steps that a child must undergo (Knezek, 2012). However, there is a debate on drawing a clear distinction between language being a natural attribute and language as a nurtured aspect of life.

Language Acquisition as a Natural Attribute of Life

‘Navitism’ is the belief that language acquisition is an innate ability. This idea holds that only human beings have a language and that their brains ...

Rationalism and Empiricism

Examining Rationalism and Empiricism

There is quite an argument between the great Philosophers in history about where knowledge is coming from. Empiricists such as Berkeley, Locke and Hume are convinced that there is no innate knowledge, but it is rather something that relates to experience. It could either be by using the mind or the five senses. However, rationalists such as Plato, Descartes, Leibniz and Chomsky shares the idea that knowledge is innate and that it is the product of reasoning and not something that evolves through experience. Both sides has their own theories of where knowledge come from. ...

The fact that the British Empiricists were somewhat racist can cast a bit of a shadow over their arguments. The practices of slavery and racism are somewhat objective moral taboos, ones which can lessen the validity of their other points. Because their philosophy includes the excusing of oppression of one group by another, they lose the moral high ground and become less appealing of a group to ally oneself with. It can be difficult for one to listen to the remaining arguments of the British Empiricists when one of their major tenets is so morally reprehensible. With this in mind, the fact ...