Rationalism and empiricism: Concept innatism Epistemology Rationalism and empiricism: Concept innatism

Today’s lesson You will learn how to explain and evaluate concept innatism: the view that there are at least some innate concepts Booklets, p.46: Concept innatism (rationalism): there are at least some innate concepts (Descartes’ ‘trademark’ argument, and other proposed examples like universals, causation, infinity, numbers etc.)

Introduction – p.46 In response to concept empiricism, rationalists argue that at least some concepts are innate. The term innate is often taken to mean ‘present from birth’, although it could also refer to the general idea of concepts that cannot be derived from sense experience. According to rationalism, innate ideas can be discovered or “brought out” (the original meaning of the word “education”) from within the mind of each individual. Empiricists do not deny the existence of a priori knowledge, but they do deny the existence of innate ideas because of course they consider the mind to be a blank slate at birth / before experience. For rationalists, innate ideas are a form of a priori knowledge because they do not require experience to be known.

Task – p.46 What is Descartes’ trademark argument? Is his argument convincing? What other examples of innate ideas does Descartes give? Are these convincing?

Two key terms Finite Infinite Having bounds or limits, measurable Subject to limitations or conditions, as of space, time, circumstances, or the laws of nature Infinite Immeasurably great, indefinitely or exceedingly great, unlimited or immeasurable in terms of space, duration, etc. Unbounded or unlimited, boundless, endless

Textbooks, p.144-145 According to Descartes, what are the three possible sources of any idea? How does the example about a picture of a sophisticated machine relate to Descartes argument about God? What are the nine key points in Descartes’ argument? Do you think a finite being could create the concept of an infinite being? What would Hume say about this? Descartes argues that he cannot have invented his concept of God and it cannot have come from the senses, so it must be innate. Is he right?

A practice question Outline and explain Descartes’ Trademark Argument (9 marks)

Plato In judging that two sticks are of equal length, we are using an idea of EQUAL that we cannot have gained from experience. Nothing is exactly equal in experience, but only ‘almost equal’. But the concept ALMOST EQUAL contains the concept EQUAL. So where does it come from? If we do not learn our concepts from experience, we must already know them. This knowledge must come from before birth.

Plato Plato believes concepts to be a type of knowledge, and so his argument for innate concepts is also an argument for innate knowledge. We are able to classify our experiences, e.g. that two sticks are equal, by comparing them with our knowledge of the ‘Forms’ (a perfect idea, which exists independently of us).

Plato Plato argues that all objects we experience through our senses are particular things. For example, we only ever see this particular beautiful thing or that particular beautiful thing, but we never see ‘beauty’. But, obviously, more than one thing can be beautiful. Beauty is a property that more than one thing can have.

Plato So, Plato claims, if many different things can be beautiful, then there is something they share in common = beauty. So there must be something which is ‘beauty’, even though we never experience beauty itself through our senses. The Form of Beauty manifests itself in all the different things and all the different ways we call ‘beautiful’. All particular beautiful things could also be destroyed, yet that won’t destroy beauty itself. So beauty must be a separate thing, existing in its own right.

Leibniz Read p.141 in your textbook What examples of innate concepts does Leibniz propose? Are they convincing?

Articulate! Two teams 10 minutes to write the names of as many key terms, philosophers, theories, etc. as you can on the pieces of paper Use p.7-47 in your booklets for inspiration Team A – one minute per person Team B – one minute per person