If i had to choose to classify myself i would put myself under the Rationalists. The Empiricists believe that all ideas originate in experience as apposed to rationalists who believe some ideas are innate. The ideas that are innate are the ones that come from instinct. For instance say you were in a situation where someone pulls a knife on you, you run or fight back without hesitation. It is instinctual to want to protect yourself but how do we know the knife is sharp? Through experience we have learned that the knife will hurt us rather then a pillow that wouldn't do damage. So the instinct to protect ourselves from harm is innate but the knowledge that the knife is harmful comes from experience.
Explanatory depth:
Rationalism helps to originate more ideas then Empiricism because through the course of history man kind has aimed for the same goals. We are born with the drive to do good and to be the best but it is through experience that the rationalist ideals are beat out of us. No one is born with the urge to do harm onto others, not even psychopaths, something tragic must happen (the experience) that leads someone to stray from their drive to do good. Rationalists can explain a thought more clearly because they have the origin of a thought, the innate, and also accept that some ideas come from experience.
Conservatism:
Rationalism is the most prevalent to our beliefs today. More and more we are trying to prove that everyone is born with a moral code. CNN did a report on Dr. Karen Wynn who runs the Baby Lab in New Haven, Ct. In the Baby Lab all different babies were tested to choose between a stuffed animal who had preformed a good action and a stuffed animal who had preformed a bad action such as stealing or hurting another. Most of the babies chose the stuffed animal who was nice over the stuffed animal who was 'bad'. This study just proves that we are all born with a moral code. With so much hate and violence in today we look for the good in everyone, we hope it's there. So i believe most people today would choose Rationalism over Empiricism.
Explanatory depth and Conservatism are the most plausible explanation for Rationalism.
Explanatory depth has more predictable power ; whereas Conservatism has more internal consistency.
Therefore Explanatory depth and Conservatism are a better explanation for Rationalism then Empiricism.
Your example about running or fighting back isn't necessarily a natural reaction. From when you are born, all that your mother tries to do is to protect you, tehrefore a child while watching his mom protecting him or her, could then try and protect himself as much as possible without natural reaction, but through experience.
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