British empiricism

British empiricism is a philosophical view asserting that all concepts originate from experience and that rationally acceptable beliefs are justifiable only through experience. This contrasts with rationalism, which posits innate concepts and a priori knowledge.1

Key figures in modern British empiricism include John Locke, George Berkeley, and David Hume. Locke, in his Essay Concerning Human Understanding, argued that ideas come from sensation or reflection, with sensation being the primary source. Berkeley extended this by suggesting that physical objects are collections of perceived ideas, leading to phenomenalism. Hume further developed empiricism, arguing that our understanding of concepts like mind and causality is based solely on perceptions.23

Empiricism emphasizes observation and experience as the foundation of knowledge, often opposing reliance on authority or abstract reasoning. This approach significantly influenced the Enlightenment and subsequent philosophical thought.312