Modern Philosophy 17th 19th Centuries Questions Medium
Empiricism, as understood in the philosophy of David Hume, is the epistemological position that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience. Hume argued that our ideas and beliefs are ultimately based on our impressions, which are the immediate and vivid sensations we receive through our senses. According to Hume, our mind is like a blank slate at birth, and all our knowledge is acquired through our experiences in the world.
Hume distinguished between two types of perceptions: impressions and ideas. Impressions are the more forceful and lively perceptions we have, such as sensations of pain, pleasure, or colors. Ideas, on the other hand, are the faint copies of our impressions, which are less vivid and less forceful. Hume claimed that all our ideas are ultimately derived from our impressions, and that we cannot have any idea that does not have a corresponding impression.
Furthermore, Hume argued that our knowledge is limited to what we can directly observe or infer from our observations. He rejected the existence of innate ideas or concepts that are present in the mind from birth, as proposed by rationalists. Instead, Hume believed that all our ideas are derived from our experiences and associations between different impressions.
Hume's empiricism also led him to question the concept of causality. He argued that we cannot directly observe causation, but rather we infer it based on our repeated observations of certain events occurring together. According to Hume, our belief in causality is not grounded in reason or necessity, but rather in custom and habit.
In summary, Hume's concept of empiricism emphasizes the role of sensory experience in acquiring knowledge. He believed that all our ideas are ultimately derived from our impressions, and that our knowledge is limited to what we can directly observe or infer from our observations. Hume's empiricism also challenged traditional notions of causality, suggesting that our belief in causation is based on custom and habit rather than rational necessity.