Rationalism emphasized reason as the source of knowledge from "summary" of The Dream of Reason by Anthony Gottlieb
Rationalism, a philosophical movement that emerged in the 17th century, placed a strong emphasis on reason as the primary source of knowledge. Proponents of this school of thought believed that by using reason and logic, one could arrive at certain truths about the world. This marked a departure from earlier philosophical traditions that relied on faith, tradition, or authority to establish knowledge. Rationalists argued that human reason was capable of uncovering universal truths that applied across all areas of knowledge. One of the key figures associated with rationalism was René Descartes, who famously declared "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am"). Descartes believed that by engaging in systematic doubt and relying on reason alone, one could arrive at certain knowledge. He sought to establish a foundation of knowledge that was immune to skepticism and uncertainty, and he believed that this foundation could be found in the innate ideas of the mind. Another prominent rationalist thinker was Baruch Spinoza, who viewed reason as the key to understanding the nature of reality. Spinoza's philosophy was characterized by a rigorous system of logic and a commitment to the power of human reason. He rejected supernatural explanations and instead sought to explain the world in terms of natural laws and causal relationships. In contrast to empiricism, which emphasized sensory experience as the source of knowledge, rationalism held that reason was superior to the senses in the pursuit of truth. While empirical knowledge was seen as contingent and subject to change, rationalists believed that reason could uncover eternal and unchanging truths that were independent of individual experience.- Rationalism represented a shift towards a more systematic and rigorous approach to philosophy, one that placed a premium on the power of human reason to uncover objective truths about the world. By emphasizing reason as the source of knowledge, rationalists sought to establish a foundation of certainty that could withstand doubt and skepticism.
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