Empiricism is a philosophical tendency that asserts that the way to obtain knowledge is through experience and evidence. Achieving it depends on the use of the senses, the acquisition of knowledge, and tradition. If you want to know more, be sure to check out our free books about empiricism.
As a philosophical current, empiricism developed in the United Kingdom between the 17th and 18th centuries. The term comes from the Greek empeiria, meaning “experience”. The suffix “ism” adds the character of doctrine.
From the historical point of view, empiricism is associated with tabula rasa, a term meaning that the human mind is “empty” at birth and thoughts come only through experience. It is a concept applied by practitioners and researchers to guide the scientific method.
Some examples of empiricism are: learning the mother tongue, having hypotheses about the state of the weather, knowing the danger of fire, learning from trial and error, or any scientific experiment.
If you want to know more about the advantages of empiricism, visit our section with more than 40 materials between books and articles about empiricism in PDF format.
Empiricism Books
#1 Empiricism and Philosophy
Extension: PDF | 258 pages
Empiricism and Philosophy by Nathan Sinclair explores empiricism through the lens of philosophical arguments and historical context. It delves into the challenges of defining and justifying knowledge acquisition, making it essential reading for understanding the foundations of empiricism.
#2 Empiricism in the Philosophy of Science
Extension: PDF | 241 pages
Empiricism in the Philosophy of Science by David James Cobb presents a thorough exploration of empiricism, highlighting "methodological empiricism" and its relevance. It offers a valuable historical and contemporary analysis, inviting readers to reconsider traditional views.
#3 The Experience in Perception – A Defence of a Stative Conception of Experiences
Extension: PDF | 198 pages
The Experience in Perception - A Defence of a Stative Conception of Experiences by Sebastián Ignacio Sanhueza Rodríguez defends a stative view of perceptual experiences, arguing they are mental states. This thesis challenges processive views, offering valuable insights for understanding perception.
#4 Decoding British Empiricism – A Distant Reading of Locke, Berkeley, and Hume
Extension: PDF | 120 pages
Decoding British Empiricism - A Distant Reading of Locke, Berkeley, and Hume by Jason Richard Bradshaw employs textual analysis to re-examine key philosophical texts. Discover new perspectives on empiricism and its nuances through computational methods.
#5 The British Empiricism – Locke, Berkeley and Hume (Presentation)
Extension: PDF | 40 pages
The British Empiricism - Locke, Berkeley and Hume (Presentation) por Nowxhere. This PDF offers a concise overview of the core tenets of British Empiricism. Explore the foundational ideas of Locke, Berkeley, and Hume, and understand their enduring impact.
#6 Empiricism without Magic – Transformational Abstraction in Deep Convolutional Neural Networks
Extension: PDF | 40 pages
Empiricism without Magic - Transformational Abstraction in Deep Convolutional Neural Networks by Cameron Buckner presents a compelling argument for how DCNNs achieve abstraction, bridging AI engineering with philosophical empiricism. It's a valuable read for understanding how neural networks model cognitive processes.
#7 Perceptual experience and perceptual knowledge
Extension: PDF | 39 pages
Perceptual Experience and Perceptual Knowledge by Johannes Roessler explores the relationship between perception and knowledge within epistemology. It challenges common assumptions about how perceptual experience provides justification for beliefs, offering a valuable insight for those studying empiricism.
#8 The Problem of Induction
Extension: PDF | 39 pages
The Problem of Induction by John Vickers provides a deep dive into the philosophical challenges of justifying inductive reasoning. It explores Hume's critique, paradoxes, and proposed solutions, making it essential for understanding the limits of empirical knowledge.
#9 Reconstructed Empiricism
Extension: PDF | 29 pages
Reconstructed Empiricism by Finnur Dellsén offers a refined perspective on van Fraassen's empiricism, addressing key criticisms concerning acceptance and belief in scientific theories. It's a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding the nuances of empiricism and its implications for scientific inquiry.
#10 Perceptual experience and degrees of belief
Extension: PDF | 26 pages
Perceptual experience and degrees of belief por Thomas Raleigh and Filippo Vindrola explores the relationship between perception and belief. It challenges the "perceptual confidence view" arguing orthodox accounts are still favored.
#11 Locke, berkeley and hume – a brief survey of empiricism
Extension: PDF | 22 pages
Locke, Berkeley and hume - a brief survey of empiricism por Hyginus Chibuike Ezebuilo, offers a concise overview of empiricism through the lens of Locke, Berkeley, and Hume. This PDF is valuable for understanding the core tenets and historical development of empiricism.
#12 Nativism in Linguistics – Empirical and Theoretical Issues
Extension: PDF | 54 pages
Nativism in Linguistics - Empirical and Theoretical Issues por Taki Flevaris explores the debate between nativism and data-driven learning in language acquisition. It critically examines arguments for and against innate linguistic knowledge.
#13 Mind Independence and Modal Empiricism
Extension: PDF | 19 pages
Mind Independence and Modal Empiricism por Sonia Roca-Royes explores the epistemic challenge to mind-independent accounts of modality, contrasting empiricist and rationalist approaches. Discover a nuanced perspective on modal knowledge and its foundations.
#14 Empiricism, Rationalism, and the Kantian Synthesis from the Quantum Linguistic Point of View
Extension: PDF | 17 pages
Empiricism, Rationalism, and the Kantian Synthesis from the Quantum Linguistic Point of View por Shiro Ishikawa explores the historical interplay between philosophical traditions through the lens of quantum language (QL). This paper offers a unique perspective, inviting readers to reconsider conventional theories in light of modern scientific frame...
#15 The scientific realism debate
Extension: PDF | 16 pages
The scientific realism debate by Ioannis Votsis provides a concise overview of the central arguments and positions within the philosophy of scientific realism. It explores the nuances of realism, anti-realism, and structural realism.
#16 Perceptual Experience, Conscious Content, and Non-Conceptual Content
Extension: PDF | 14 pages
Perceptual Experience, Conscious Content, and Non-Conceptual Content por Uriah Kriegel explores the debate on whether perceptual experience is fundamentally conceptual or non-conceptual. This paper provides a critical analysis of representationalism and its implications for understanding consciousness.
#17 Rise of Empiricism – Aristotle, Locke, Berkeley, Hume
Extension: PDF | 13 pages
Rise of Empiricism - Aristotle, Locke, Berkeley, Hume por Michael Sidiropoulos, MEng explores the foundations of empiricism through key historical figures. It offers valuable insights into the development of scientific thought and reasoning, making it a worthwhile read.
#18 Empiricism
Extension: PDF | 12 pages
Empiricism by Otávio Bueno critically examines the challenges to empiricist views in philosophy of science, focusing on the distinction between observable and unobservable entities. This work offers a novel approach to understanding observation and its role in empiricism, making it essential reading.
#19 Hume’s Theory of Abstraction – From the point of view of normativity (Article)
Extension: PDF | 10 pages
Hume’s Theory of Abstraction - From the point of view of normativity (Article) por Shun Iizuka examines Hume's theory of abstraction, focusing on how we justify general beliefs derived from specific experiences. Discover how Hume navigates the complexities of abstraction and its validity.
#20 Role of senses in the construction of knowledge (Article)
Extension: PDF | 8 pages
Role of senses in the construction of knowledge (Article) por Jahanzaib Alvi and Muhammad Rehan analyzes how senses build knowledge, comparing theories and highlighting empiricism. Discover Locke's perspective on senses and experience shaping knowledge, challenging conventional views.
#21 The Synthesis of Empiricism and Innatism in Berkeley’s Doctrine of Notions
Extension: PDF | 13 pages
The Synthesis of Empiricism and Innatism in Berkeley’s Doctrine of Notions por James Hill explores Berkeley's nuanced perspective on concept formation, bridging empiricism and innatism. It offers valuable insights into the historical debate and Berkeley's unique contribution to epistemology.
#22 Innatism, Empiricism and Mysticism
Extension: PDF | 13 pages
Innatism, Empiricism and Mysticism por Paul Sullins explores the historical debate between innate knowledge and experiential learning, contrasting philosophers like Locke, Hume, Kant, and Kinlein. It's a valuable resource for understanding foundational concepts in epistemology and their impact on modern science and our understanding of self.
#23 A Theory of Opinion Formation
Extension: PDF | 13 pages
A Theory of Opinion Formation by Andy Blunden explores how individuals form opinions within social contexts, challenging traditional cognitive approaches. It offers insights into the influence of social practices and trust networks on belief formation, crucial for understanding public discourse.
Books on Mind-body Relationship from Empiricism
Empiricism advocates the idea that knowledge is acquired through sensory experience and experimentation, which implies that our perceptions and emotions are the results of interactions between our mind and our body.
Today, the study of the mind-body relationship from empiricism continues to be relevant and valuable in various disciplines. In psychology, for example, the importance of experiences and perception in the formation of the mind is recognized.
Our books and articles on mind-body empiricism invite us to reflect on the nature of consciousness and our interaction with the world around us, nurturing an interdisciplinary dialogue.
#1 The Mind–Body Problem – An Overview
Extension: PDF | 46 pages
The Mind–Body Problem - An Overview por Kirk Ludwig provides a comprehensive philosophical analysis of the mind-body problem. This document is valuable for anyone seeking a clear understanding of the historical and contemporary perspectives on this fundamental philosophical issue.
#2 dealism and the Mind-Body Problem
Extension: PDF | 32 pages
Idealism and the Mind-Body Problem by David J. Chalmers explores the philosophical implications of idealism as a solution to the mind-body problem. It delves into different forms of idealism, from micro to cosmic, offering a compelling perspective on consciousness and reality.
#3 The Mind-Body Problem in the Origin of Logical Empiricism
Extension: PDF | 30 pages
The Mind-Body Problem in the Origin of Logical Empiricism by Michael Heidelberger analyzes the historical roots of the mind-body problem within logical empiricism, focusing on Herbert Feigl's contributions. Discover how early philosophical debates shaped modern perspectives on consciousness and physicality.
#4 The Cult of Empiricism in Psychology, and Beyond
Extension: PDF | 25 pages
The Cult of Empiricism in Psychology, and Beyond by Stephen Toulmin and David E. Leary examines the historical rise and consequences of empiricism in psychology, particularly in the United States. It critiques the separation of psychology from philosophy and explores its impact on psychological theory and practice.
#5 Empiricism, Cognitive Science, and the Novel
Extension: PDF | 24 pages
Empiricism, Cognitive Science, and the Novel por Jonathan Kramnick explores the relationship between empiricist philosophy and cognitive science in understanding the mind. It offers valuable insights into how these perspectives influence our interpretation of literature and human cognition.
#6 Scientific and empirical advances in mind-body research
Extension: PDF | 18 pages
Scientific and empirical advances in mind-body research by Jerome Feldman explores the enduring mystery of the mind-body problem, advocating for a focus on mapping bodily activity to subjective experience. This article offers a valuable framework for understanding and addressing this complex relationship through scientific inquiry.
Abstraction Theory and its Relevance
Discover this fascinating world through our books and articles on abstraction theory and its relevance in PDF format.
Abstraction theory encompasses a variety of approaches that seek to understand how we conceptualize and represent reality, freeing it from its concrete details to understand its underlying essence and structure.
The importance of Abstraction Theory lies in its ability to simplify complexity and find patterns and regularities in nature and the human mind.
#1 A Theory of Abstraction in Reinforcement Learning
Extension: PDF | 297 pages
A Theory of Abstraction in Reinforcement Learning by David Abel presents a dissertation on abstraction in RL, outlining desiderata for effective abstraction functions and analyzing related algorithms. This work is valuable for understanding how agents can learn to make decisions in complex environments by forming concise models through abstraction.
#2 The Challenge of Abstract Concepts
Extension: PDF | 31 pages
The Challenge of Abstract Concepts por Anna M. Borghi, Ferdinand Binkofski, Cristiano Castelfranchi and others discusses how abstract concepts differ from concrete ones and reviews theories on abstract concept representation, focusing on embodied approaches. A valuable read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of higher-order cog...
#3 On the use of abstractions in sociology – The classics and beyond
Extension: PDF | 24 pages
On the use of abstractions in sociology - This paper explores the role and improvement of abstractions in sociology, drawing from classic thinkers like Durkheim and Weber. It offers valuable insights into sociological analysis and the construction of theory.
#4 The Critique of Real Abstraction – from the Critical Theory of Society to the Critique of Political Economy and Back Again
Extension: PDF | 23 pages
The Critique of Real Abstraction - from the Critical Theory of Society to the Critique of Political Economy and Back Again por Chris O’Kane analyzes the evolution of the concept of real abstraction, linking it from Marx's critique of political economy to critical theories of society. A valuable read for understanding the theoretical lineage of re...
#5 A little theory of abstraction
Extension: PDF | 19 pages
A little theory of abstraction by Roland Kaschek presents a model for abstraction in information systems development, focusing on conceptual construction and scope determination. It helps define suitable abstraction concepts within predefined frameworks.
#6 Structural Abstraction of Process Specifications (Article)
Extension: PDF | 7 pages
Structural Abstraction of Process Specifications (Article) por Artem Polyvyanyy explores the abstraction of process specifications using graph theory, aiming to simplify complex models. It offers valuable techniques for managing complexity in software engineering and business process management.
Books on Empiricism and Philosophy of Mind
Within this rich subject matter, books and articles on empiricism and philosophy of mind are fundamental to understanding how human beings generalize and conceptualize the world around them.
The importance of empiricism and philosophy of mind lies in their ability to shed light on the nature of the human mind and its cognitive foundations.
By exploring the relationship between experience and knowledge, these areas of study offer us a unique perspective for understanding how we perceive the world, how we form our ideas, and how we interact with the environment around us.
#1 Concepts, Introspection, and Phenomenal Consciousness – An Information-Theoretic Account
Extension: PDF | 60 pages
Concepts, Introspection, and Phenomenal Consciousness - An Information-Theoretic Account por Murat Aydede and Güven Güzeldere presents an information-theoretic approach to understanding phenomenal consciousness and introspection. It explores how sensory concepts link to brain states and addresses conceivability arguments against physicalism, maki...
#2 Sensation and perception
Extension: PDF | 46 pages
Sensation and perception por Sandra Alvarado, Bonnie Kanter-Braem, Kathleen Manz and others is a unit lesson plan for high school psychology teachers. It offers a foundational understanding of sensation and perception, including activities and demonstrations to illustrate key concepts.
#3 Why Physicalism
Extension: PDF | 28 pages
Why Physicalism por William Seager explores the challenges physicalism faces, especially concerning consciousness. It highlights the disparity between ontological and epistemic physicalism, offering alternative metaphysical frameworks and inviting readers to consider physicalism's limits.
#4 Setting Things Before the Mind
Extension: PDF | 27 pages
Setting Things Before the Mind by MGF Martin explores the philosophical concept of qualia and its role in understanding sensory consciousness and perceptual experience. It challenges common assumptions about the obviousness of qualia and seeks a framework for understanding debates on the nature of perception, offering valuable insights for those in...
#5 Toward A Cognitive Science Of Beliefs
Extension: PDF | 24 pages
Toward A Cognitive Science Of Beliefs por Joseph Sommer, Julien Musolino, and Pernille Hemmer analyzes beliefs through cognitive psychology. It explores how minds form instrumentally useful beliefs rather than true ones, examining rationality and computational constraints.
#6 Is mind-body physicalism really compatible with modern physics
Extension: PDF | 21 pages
Is mind-body physicalism really compatible with modern physics? This article explores incompatibilities between modern physics and the concept of mind-body physicalism, arguing for a dualistic view where minds are localized and dynamic. It's a valuable read for those grappling with the intersection of physics, consciousness, and the nature of reali...
#7 Knowledge, Perception and Analysis
Extension: PDF | 14 pages
Knowledge, Perception and Analysis by Quassim Cassam explores the intricate relationship between knowledge and perception, challenging traditional reductive analyses. It offers valuable insights into how perception serves as a fundamental source of knowledge, making it essential for understanding the philosophy of mind.
#8 What is effective in forming our beliefs: Experience or education (Article)
Extension: PDF | 8 pages
What is effective in forming our beliefs: Experience or education? (Article) por Esim Gursoy explores the influence of experience versus education on teacher trainees' beliefs. This study offers valuable insights into how beliefs are shaped, affecting teaching methodologies and future practices.
Books and Articles on Empiricism and Psychology
Empiricism, in the context of psychology, focuses on the study of mind and behavior through systematic data collection and rigorous observation.
The importance of exploring empiricism in psychology lies in its evidence-based approach and direct observation, which has led to significant advances in our understanding of the human mind.
These books and articles on empiricism and psychology invite us to immerse ourselves in a world of knowledge and discovery, enriching our understanding of human nature.
#1 Empiricist Roots of Modern Psychology
Extension: PDF | 29 pages
Empiricist Roots of Modern Psychology by Raymond Martin explores the historical development of empiricism and its profound influence on the emergence of modern psychology. Delve into the philosophical underpinnings and pivotal figures that shaped our understanding of the human mind.
#2 Empiricism, mechanism, and the practice of cognitive-behavior therapy
Extension: PDF | 23 pages
Empiricism, mechanism, and the practice of cognitive-behavior therapy discusses how case formulation enhances the application of empirically supported treatments. This article offers valuable insights for clinicians seeking to adapt and personalize therapeutic interventions effectively.
#3 Empiricism in the foundations of cognition
Extension: PDF | 22 pages
Empiricism in the foundations of cognition por Timothy Childers, Juraj Hvorecký and Ondrej Majer analyzes empiricism, behaviorism, connectionism and deep learning. It traces the support for empiricism in debates about human cognition since the 1950s, addressing limitations and undermining assumed support.
#4 Using the Principles of Classical Conditioning to Learn Event Sequences (Article)
Extension: PDF | 8 pages
Using the Principles of Classical Conditioning to Learn Event Sequences (Article) por Timothy A. Furze and Brandon Bennett proposes a system that learns event sequences using classical conditioning, mimicking how biological agents understand their environment. It explores unsupervised learning of patterns and sequences, making it valuable for under...
Here ends our selection of free Empiricism books in PDF format. We hope you liked it and already have your next book!
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