Philosophical Theories: Innate Ideas, Empiricism, and Ethics
Philosophy
Innate Ideas: The theory of knowledge that suggests humans are born with knowledge. This knowledge is innate, bringing with our intelligence not only rational principles but also true ideas. Plato advocated for innateness, believing we are born with rational principles and innate ideas. According to Plato, ideas originate from two worlds: the intelligible world. Before birth, we assimilate ideas. When born, we possess these ideas, though they are guarded. To use them, we must recall them from the intelligible world. Plato identified four grades of knowledge: belief, opinion, reasoning, and induction. The first two are related to concrete things, while the latter two are ways of doing philosophy. For Plato, mathematics justifies true reality. Plato’s ideas influenced spiritualism and Catholicism, as he believed humans embody and pass away to remember their knowledge.
Descartes discussed innate ideas in several works, most notably in Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy. He showed that our spirit has three kinds of ideas, differentiated by their origin and quality:
- Ideas adventitia: Arise from our feelings, perceptions, and memories, stemming from experience.
- Ideas factitia: Created in our fantasy and imagination.
- Innate ideas: Entirely rational and exist because we are born with them.
Empiricism
Empiricism is a philosophical theory of knowledge that emphasizes experience. Empiricists believe humans are born as a blank slate. The only source of human knowledge is experience gained through the physical environment, mediated by the senses. Empiricism emphasizes the importance of education in shaping a person. Key figures include John Locke and Immanuel Kant.
Dogmatism
Dogmatism asserts that humans can obtain absolute truth. It is the doctrine that humans can attain certainty, which cannot be questioned. Dogmas express certain truths.
- Naive Dogmatism: Believes fully in the possibility of knowledge and accepts things as presented.
- Critical Dogmatism: Believes in our ability to know the truth through our senses and intelligence.
- Religious Dogma: Example: The Pope is infallible. Catholics do not argue.
- Philosophical Dogma: Attempts to prove the existence of God through reason (Scholasticism, 12th century – Thomas Aquinas, William Occam, Abelard).
Skepticism
Skepticism questions the existence of absolute truth, asserting that truth is relative. It is the doctrine that one cannot achieve certainty about truth, implying constant doubt and an inability to understand metaphysical, religious, or even real phenomena.
- Radical Skepticism (Pyrrho): Concludes the impossibility of knowledge, believing truth is inaccessible. It leads to indifference.
- Moderate Skepticism: Admits limits to understanding truth but continues the quest, even if certainty is impossible.
- Disillusionment: Engages in the fight against quacks and ideas considered false and unscientific. Famous examples include James Randi, Basava Premanand, Penn and Teller, and Harry Houdini.
Ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy dealing with moral good and bad, right and wrong. Moral philosophy and ethics are synonyms.
- Professional Ethics: Based on the professional relationship with clients and other professionals, considering values of dignity, self-realization, and sociability.
- Business Ethics: Values within an organization that ensure survival, reputation, and good results. It is the conduct of a business entity in accordance with moral principles and rules of conduct accepted by the community.