reason as a source of knowledge Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is rationalism?
The view that reason, not experience, is the primary source of knowledge.
What is a priori knowledge?
Knowledge that is gained independently of experience, typically through reason.
What is a necessary truth?
A proposition that cannot be false under any circumstances (e.g., “all bachelors are unmarried”).
What is an analytic truth?
A statement that is true by definition (e.g., “a triangle has three sides”).
What is a synthetic truth?
A statement whose truth depends on how the world is, not just on meanings (e.g., “the cat is on the mat”).
What is the difference between a priori and a posteriori knowledge?
A priori is known through reason alone; a posteriori depends on sensory experience.
How do rationalists use reason to justify knowledge?
They claim some truths (e.g., mathematics, logic) can be known independently of the senses through pure reason.
What is Descartes’ method of doubt?
A strategy to find certain knowledge by doubting all that can be doubted, to find indubitable truths.
What is Descartes’ cogito argument?
“I think, therefore I am” – the self as a thinking thing is known with certainty through reason alone.
What is the role of intuition and deduction in Descartes’ theory?
Intuition reveals self-evident truths; deduction allows knowledge to be built from those truths.
What is a clear and distinct idea (Descartes)?
An idea that is so self-evident that, when it is perceived clearly and distinctly, it cannot be doubted.
How does Leibniz argue for reason as a source of knowledge?
He claims that necessary truths (e.g., logic, mathematics) are not derived from experience but are innate and discovered through reason.
What is the difference between contingent and necessary truths?
Contingent truths could be otherwise; necessary truths could not possibly be false.
Why do empiricists challenge reason as a source of knowledge?
They argue that all ideas originate in experience and that reason alone cannot yield knowledge of the world.
How does Hume criticize rationalist claims about causation?
He argues we cannot reason causation a priori; knowledge of cause and effect comes from experience, not logic or reason alone.
What is Kant’s synthetic a priori knowledge?
Knowledge that is necessarily true but also informative about the world (e.g., “7 + 5 = 12”) and known through reason.
What is the rationalist response to skepticism?
That reason can provide certain foundational knowledge (e.g., “I exist”, logic, math), which can be built upon.
How does reason support mathematical and logical knowledge?
These disciplines rely on deductive reasoning, not experience, and provide certainty – a key rationalist claim.
What are the limits of reason as a source of knowledge?
It may not provide knowledge about the external world, and some truths (e.g., empirical ones) cannot be known by reason alone.
What is the role of reason in moral knowledge, according to rationalists like Kant?
Morality is grounded in rational principles (e.g., the categorical imperative), not emotions or consequences.
