Frontiers of Western Philosophy
Empiricism
John Locke
(1632-1704 CE)
Bishop George Berkeley
(1685 – 1753 CE)
David Hume
(1711 – 1776 CE)
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
The external world
causes visual perception
which causes knowledge
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
I seem to see
a tree.
A belief is a basic empirical belief if and only if
it is a direct result of sensation.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Non-basic beliefs
Basic empirical beliefs
Basic empirical belief serve as the foundation.
Non-basic beliefs are justified through
inference from basic empirical beliefs.
Empiricism is one kind of
foundationalism.
Non-basic beliefs
Basic beliefs
Different kinds of foundationalism depend on (1) what is required
to be a basic belief and (2) what kind of connection is
required between basic and non-basic beliefs.
Cartesian foundationalism
Non-basic beliefs
Basic beliefs:
absolutely certain
Descartes would say that (1) basic belief must be absolutely
certain (indubitable) and (2) non-basic beliefs must be
supported by logically valid arguments from basic beliefs.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Arguments for Empiricism:
1. Empirical beliefs seem more reliable than
others.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Arguments for Empiricism:
1. Empirical beliefs seem more reliable than
others.
2. Only empirical beliefs can tell us what the
external world is like.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Arguments for Empiricism:
1. Empirical beliefs seem more reliable than
others.
2. Only empirical beliefs can tell us what the
external world is like.
3. The success of science confirms the reliability of
the senses.
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not present the world as it really is.
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not present the world as it really is.
For example: colors, tastes, smells and textures are
experiences that human minds have; they are not
direct experiences of things in the world.
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not always present the world as it
really is in itself.
For example: colors, tastes, smells and textures are
experiences that human minds have; they are not
direct experiences of things in the world.
So we must distinguish the following things:
John Locke:
A primary quality in an object produces ideas in
humans that really resemble the object as it is in itself
(for example, shape, size, motion).
John Locke:
A primary quality in an object produces ideas in
humans that really resemble the object as it is in itself
(for example, shape, size, motion).
A secondary quality in an object produces ideas in
humans that do not really resemble the object as it is
in itself (for example, color, taste, smell).
John Locke:
A primary quality in an object produces ideas in humans that
really resemble the object as it is in itself (for example, shape,
size, motion).
A secondary quality in an object produces ideas in humans
that do not really resemble the object as it is in itself (for
example, color, taste, smell).
Shape: yes
Color: no
An Objection from Berkeley:
The ideas caused by Locke’s primary
qualities (such as shape, size, and motion)
seem to depend on the observer in the same
way that the ideas caused by secondary
qualities do. So they are not really qualities
of the objects in themselves, either.
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not always present the world as it
really is in itself.
2. The senses can only confirm particular cases, not
general truths. (This is the problem of induction.)
Particular vs. General Claims:
A particular claim is about some specific object or
event.
A general claim is about kinds of objects or events,
but does not mention any specific object or event.
Particular vs. General Claims:
A particular claim is about some specific object or
event.
For example, “This Power Point presentation is
fascinating.”
A general claim is about kinds of objects or events,
but does not mention any specific object or event.
For example, “All Power Point presentations are
fascinating.”
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not always present the world as it
really is in itself.
2. The senses can only confirm particular cases, not
general truths. (This is the problem of induction.)
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
....
Arguments against Empiricism:
1. The senses do not always present the world as it
really is in itself.
2. The senses can only confirm particular cases, not
general truths. (This is the problem of induction.)
?
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
This
swan is
white.
....
All swans
are white.
The Problem of Induction:
No number of particular observations will justify a
universal conclusion.
Bertrand Russell
(1872-1970 CE)
The Problem of Induction:
No number of particular observations will justify a
universal conclusion.
All of our observations concerning the world have
occurred in the past, so we cannot assume that
the future will be like the past.
Bertrand Russell
(1872-1970 CE)
The Problem of Induction:
No number of particular observations will justify a
universal conclusion.
All of our observations concerning the world have
occurred in the past, so we cannot assume that
the future will be like the past.
For all we know, then, tomorrow the world might be
completely different than it is today.
Bertrand Russell
(1872-1970 CE)
Empiricism
Empiricism: all of our knowledge comes
through the use of the five senses.
Non-basic beliefs
Basic empirical beliefs
Empiricism seems to limit us to knowing only the present contents of our
immediate sense experiences; it does not justify beliefs about the past
or the future or general beliefs in universal principles.