With this debate I stand agreeing with empiricism more than rationalism because empiricism can relate to more than just being born with certain knowledge. With Descartes’ wax example,it proves that something internally remains the same even in a different state of being. This example however, this also shows how it derives from experience since one will not understand the concept of such change unless it happens to them directly as well.
A. Explanatory breadth- The theory of empiricism has explanatory breadth since it explains the origin of more ideas the rationalism because for example how some people are color blind and cannot tell the difference between colors however the concept of color is still an idea; certain people just cannot grasp this idea due to their lack of experience. Empiricism explains that experience derives ideas more so than rationalism because it is not based off of innate ideas since not everyone is born with the same abilities as mentioned in the color blind example. Although this is only one example, rationalism only accounts for certain things not being innate.
B. Explanatory depth- Rationalism cannot explain where these innate ideas come from within since they are claimed to be ideas you are born with; however empiricism does not exactly explain the origin of certain ideas in greater detail compared to rationalism. Empiricism may be able to produce ideas based on experience but expressing ideas to others who have not experienced said idea is vague and not as detailed as it may be to those who have experienced it first-hand. For example the idea of feeling sad over a death of a loved one is different from hearing about someone you know having a loved one die. Unless you directly experience a death you do not understand this idea in full.
C. Simplicity- The theory of Empiricism has fewer parts to it in contrast to rationalism having exceptions to the rule making it more complex. Empiricism is the concept of all of our thoughts and ideas originating in experience but these ideas can be expressed in a more similar way.
D. Conservatism- The theory empiricism proposes is more consistent with our current, common sense belief when compared to rationalism. Empiricism applies more directly to common sense in that living in these modern times there are more ideas being thought of due to all of the new and undiscovered experiences that people can now go through that they weren't able to go through prior to modern times.
1. Theory of Empiricism and Rationalism are the most plausible explanations of the origin of ideas.
2. Theory of Empiricism have much more explanatory breadth and simplicity, whereas Theory of Rationalism is almost equal to Empiricism when it comes to Explanatory depth.
3. Therefore, Theory of Empiricism is the best explanation of the origin of ideas.
Although I agree with your introduction to the argument on Empiricism vs Rationalism, you fail to realize that rationalism only argues that "some" ideas are innate but the "majority" of ideas are learned from experience, where as empiricism simply states that all ideas are learned from experience. That is a slight flaw towards your argument. Also, in your explanatory breadth you claim that empiricism explains the origin of ideas better but yet there are ideas like the idea of god, the idea of time, and Descartes idea of extension that simply can not be explained through empiricism alone, therefore Rationalism comes into place and explains these ideas that can't be explained from experience alone. Overall good post, just lacks a few ideas that I think are significant in this debate.
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