Philosophy-Ethics/Politics

MACROBUTTON NoMacro [Insert Names of Author (s )]

MACROBUTTON NoMacro [Insert Professors name here]

MACROBUTTON NoMacro [Insert Course Identification information here]

MACROBUTTON NoMacro [Insert Submission date here]

On the Existence or Non-existence of Innate Ideas

Epistemological inquiry is inquiry geared towards the discovery of the concept of knowledge , evidence , reasons for believing , and justification of knowledge claims . The concerns of epistemology may thereby be specified into the following (1 ) nature of knowledge (2 ) source of knowledge , and (3 ) the validity of knowledge and knowledge claims Rationalism and empiricism are two

opposing epistemological schools of thought . Rationalism upholds the fundamental role of reason in knowledge acquisition whereas empiricism upholds the fundamental role of experience in knowledge acquisition . Rationalists thereby uphold the claim that the sole , legitimate source of knowledge is the faculty of reason whereas empiricists uphold the claim that knowledge is grounded upon sense-experience , that is , that there is nothing in the mind which is not at first , an object of sensation . In line with this , what follows is the analysis of one of the main disagreements between rationalism and empiricism : the existence of innate ideas

Rationalists maintain that there are innate ideas in the mind . It is important to note that such a contention springs from the idea that not all of what we consider as knowledge is derived from mere sense-perception . Rene Descartes states

My perception of the infinite , that is God , is in some way prior to my perception of the finite , that is , myself . For how...