Final answer:
Empiricism is a philosophical and epistemological theory that knowledge comes from sensory experience, proposed by figures such as Francis Bacon, John Locke, and David Hume. It is foundational to the scientific method but challenged by how to account for non-sensory knowledge such as mathematical truths.
Step-by-step explanation:
Empiricism is an epistemological stance in philosophy emphasizing that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience. It is a key component of the modern scientific method, advocating that hypotheses and theories must be tested through empirical evidence and experiments.
Empiricism opposes the idea of innate knowledge, proposing instead that the mind begins as a blank slate (tabula rasa), as argued by John Locke, and that all knowledge is acquired inductively through sense experience. The foundation for this view is often attributed to Francis Bacon, whose work in the 16th and 17th centuries formed the basis for the development of the scientific method, which in turn has been fundamental to the progress of science and technology in Western societies.
Modern empiricists include not only Bacon, but also Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Mill; with prominent 20th-century movements such as pragmatism and logical positivism extending and applying empiricist principles. Despite its influence, empiricism faces challenges in accounting for forms of knowledge that do not stem directly from the senses, such as knowledge in mathematics and logic, or knowledge of phenomena that cannot be directly experienced, like subatomic particles.
Exploring the contrast between empiricism and rationalism offers insight into different philosophical views of how knowledge is acquired, with empiricism focusing on experience and evidence, while rationalism values reasoning and innate ideas. Celebrated empiricist David Hume combined empiricism with skepticism, emphasizing that while our knowledge comes through the senses, our certainty about this knowledge can be quite limited.