Why was empiricism common in Great Britain and rationalism in the continent?

[noi_avorrit]

Empiricism states that ideas, specially knowledge derive from sensory experience, while rationalism states that ideas have an intrinsically logical structure, like the principles of mathematics as being fundamentally true.

Some empiricist philosophers are Francis Bacon (As far as I'm aware), John Locke and David Hume, all british.

Some rationalist philosophers René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza (as far as I'm aware too) and Gottfried Leibniz, all from continental europe.

I wonder what created this apparent division in terms of philosophy between Great Britain and the continent amid the Early Modern Era.

[noi_avorrit]

Well, I hope you guys ( @MVP  , @Blau  , @maxell  , @Torbik  , @Duncan_  , @Bookist  , @towncel  , @Eesharebba , @just_a_life  , @An Infinity Of Little Hours , @kathisterima , among others...) don't mind being tagged as it could be an interesting discussion.

[Bookist]

Very intresting thread bhai! What does it mean to "create division" between Britain and the continent bro?

[noi_avorrit]

Very intresting thread bhai! What does it mean to "create division" between Britain and the continent bro?

Just that bro, that philosophers of the european mainland tended to usually be rationalist while the british ones empiricist.

[Prince]

there were more homos on the continent

[noi_avorrit]

there were more homos on the continent

Funny reply mate   but I don't think that's the inting/reason. Let's think something "deeper"...

[Bookist]

Very intresting thread bhai! What does it mean to "create division" between Britain and the continent bro?

Just that bro, that philosophers of the european mainland tended to usually be rationalist while the british ones empiricist.

I see bro. Intresting. I dont know as to why that is though

[maxell]

When i think of empiricism, for me it shows direct, observational knowledge with tested, repeatable lab experiments.

[noi_avorrit]

When i think of empiricism, for me it shows direct, observational knowledge with tested, repeatable lab experiments.

Interesting point though, you're quite right as what you stated is a method related to what I said (as it requires experience).

[Altruist]

cant bother explaining

it's the same in law; the precedent-related doctrines exist (and define common law legal systems) n commonwealth because kings were issuing verdicts via his scholars in the uk, while continental europe preferred abstract, generalized sets of rules (laws) as their primary source of law

[noi_avorrit]

cant bother explaining

it's the same in law; the precedent-related doctrines exist (and define common law legal systems) n commonwealth because kings were issuing verdicts via his scholars in the uk, while continental europe preferred abstract, generalized sets of rules (laws) as their primary source of law

Very good point indeed. The law systems of the UK and the continent differ significantly, and if I remember correctly lots of continental european countries use napoleonic-based law as an other difference with the UK (although this is more related to the napoleonic wars)

[Altruist]

cant bother explaining

it's the same in law; the precedent-related doctrines exist (and define common law legal systems) n commonwealth because kings were issuing verdicts via his scholars in the uk, while continental europe preferred abstract, generalized sets of rules (laws) as their primary source of law

Very good point indeed. The law systems of the UK and the continent differ significantly, and if I remember correctly lots of continental european countries use napoleonic-based law as an other difference with the UK (although this is more related to the napoleonic wars)

correct

allgemeines bürgerliches gesetzbuch and the napoleonic code are the most important acts in modern european law (continental)

together with the school of salamanca (f. de vitoria, f. suarez), since you are from spain

[noi_avorrit]

correct

allgemeines bürgerliches gesetzbuch and the napoleonic code are the most important acts in modern european law (continental)

together with the school of salamanca (f. de vitoria, f. suarez), since you are from spain

Thank you, it's very interesting. I've never heard about the school of salamanca, what is it about?

[Altruist]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Salamanca

[Honest]

Britain has always been more hard-headed than the continent, and less inclined to rely on mumbo-jumbo to back up their positions. Maybe to do with conservatism or Protestantism or something, idk. An interesting question