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Empiricists

Empiricists are philosophers who hold that knowledge comes from experience and observation, rather than from reason or innate ideas. The term "empiricist" was first used in the 16th century, but the philosophical movement itself dates back to the ancient Greek philosophers.

The ancient Empiricist School, founded by Philinus of Alexandria in the 1st century BC, emphasized the importance of observation and experience in the pursuit of knowledge. The school's philosophers rejected the use of reasoning and speculation, and instead relied on sensory data and direct observation to build their theories.

In the modern era, the Empiricist movement was led by philosophers such as John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. Locke, in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, argued that all knowledge comes from experience and that the mind at birth is a blank slate. Berkeley also emphasized the importance of experience, but took the idea further by arguing that the material world is essentially a collection of perceptions.

David Hume, in his Treatise on Human Nature, attacked the notion of a rational and knowable universe, arguing that our understanding of the world is limited to our experiences and perceptions. He suggested that true knowledge is impossible, and that all we can do is form probable opinions based on our experiences.

Throughout their works, empiricists have emphasized the importance of observation, experience, and sensory data in the pursuit of knowledge. While their views have been influential, they have also been the subject of much criticism and debate among other philosophers.