Final answer:
Immanuel Kant is the German philosopher who believed that reasoning and observation were more effective than faith for discerning truth. He influenced European philosophy significantly by reconciling rationalism and religious belief and emphasizing the use of reason in human experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The German philosopher who believed that reasoning and observation seemed more effective than faith for discerning truth was Immanuel Kant. Kant attempted to reconcile rationalism and religious belief and has greatly influenced European philosophy. In the quest for knowledge, he asserted the importance of individual freedom and political authority, as well as the need to balance private and public reason. He critiqued the purely speculative nature of traditional metaphysics and advocated for a critical and methodical approach in evaluating human experience.
The foundation of scientific method, which emphasizes evidence, experience, and causation, was partly developed by empiricists like David Hume and by rationalists like Kant. While rationalists generally laid the groundwork for modern philosophy, skeptics such as Hume questioned the reliability of reason alone without supportive empirical evidence.
Therefore, the shift towards a more empirical and rational scientific method in philosophy continued to shape thoughts on the interplay between science and religion, particularly with the work of Kant.