British empiricism

British Empiricism is a philosophical movement that developed in the 17th and 18th centuries in the United Kingdom. It is a theory in epistemology that posits that all knowledge comes from sensory experience. The movement is closely associated with three philosophers: John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume.

Origins

The origins of British Empiricism can be traced back to the works of Francis Bacon, who criticized the Aristotelian philosophy and advocated for a new method of scientific inquiry based on empirical evidence. However, it was John Locke who is often credited as the founder of British Empiricism.

John Locke

John Locke's work, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, is considered a foundational text in empiricism. Locke argued that the mind at birth is a tabula rasa or blank slate, and that all knowledge comes from experience. He distinguished between simple and complex ideas, stating that simple ideas are the building blocks of all knowledge and are derived directly from sensory experience.

George Berkeley

George Berkeley, another key figure in British Empiricism, proposed a form of idealism where only minds and mental contents exist. He argued against Locke's belief in the existence of material substances and maintained that objects only exist as perceptions in the mind.

David Hume

David Hume, the third major figure in British Empiricism, further developed the empirical philosophy. He proposed a strict form of empiricism known as Humean empiricism, which rejects the existence of any knowledge not grounded in empirical evidence. Hume also introduced the concept of induction, arguing that our beliefs in cause and effect relationships are based on habits of thought rather than logical reasoning.

Impact

British Empiricism had a profound impact on a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and political science. It also influenced the development of logical positivism and analytic philosophy in the 20th century.

Criticism

Despite its influence, British Empiricism has been criticized on several fronts. Critics argue that it fails to account for innate knowledge and that it cannot explain how we acquire knowledge of abstract concepts such as mathematics and morality.