What is rationalism in philosophy?

Rationalism is the philosophical view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge, giving it precedence over sensory experience, faith, or tradition. Proponents argue that certain fundamental truths in logic, mathematics, and ethics can be grasped intellectually and deductively without relying on empirical proof. During the Enlightenment, this tradition stood in sharp contrast to empiricism, which maintained that knowledge is gained primarily through observation of the physical world.

What we know

• Rationalism is defined as the epistemological view that regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge. [1, 2]
• Rationalists assert that certain fundamental principles in logic, mathematics, ethics, and metaphysics exist independently of sense experience. [2]
• During the Enlightenment, rationalism was famously opposed to empiricism, which emphasized knowledge gained through sensory observation. [2]
• René Descartes emphasized that knowledge is primarily innate and that the intellect can directly grasp or derive logical truths. [2]

Still open

• Sources note differing degrees of rationalist standpoints, ranging from moderate positions where reason takes precedence to extreme positions claiming reason is the unique path to knowledge.

Where to go next

• compared withHow did empiricism oppose rationalism?
• whoWhat was René Descartes' contribution to rationalism?
• a case in pointHow does critical rationalism address the growth of science?
• the bigger pictureWhat defines the broader scope of modern philosophy?
• how it workedWhat is the intellectual methodology of deduction?
• an unexpected connectionHow did Karl Popper adapt rationalism for modern science?Although classical rationalism sought to rely purely on innate intellectual deduction, Popper transformed rationalism into a fallibilist approach anchored in scientific falsifiability.

Sources

• [1]rationalism (Wikidata Q483024) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Rationalism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Critical rationalism · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]List of philosophies · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Modern philosophy · CC BY-SA 4.0