Answer to Question #184578 in Psychology for LUSANDA

Question

Empiricism is described as the view that all knowledge is derived from our sensory experiences (Castle & Buckler, 2018). In the form of an essay, discuss your understanding of Empiricism, its place in the roots of Psychology, and how it may be used as a technique in a Teaching and Learning context. In your essay, provide at least TWO examples of Empiricism in the classroom. 

Answer 1

Empiricism

           Empiricism is the view that all ideas come from experience that all ideas may be applicable or are about things that can be experienced, or that all reasonably acceptable prepositions and beliefs are known or justified primarily through experience. Empiricism explains the primary role of experience. Empiricism insists that all knowledge is the basis of experience. Besides, the empirical theory of thought or meaning holds on to the derivation of the meaning of concepts and our words from experience (Alston). Although giving a clear meaning of experience is very difficult, the experience can be different from aesthetic, religious, moral, and sensory. The concentration of empiricists is mostly on experience sense, consciousness modes resulting from the excitement of the five senses (Alston). However, experience is not a source of all the knowledge. There is an assumption in empiricism whereby higher levels are on the lower levels and lowest level issues directly from experience.

           The importance of empiricism is mainly on the psychological history in America and Britain. The psychology is of human-made scientific knowledge unjustifiable. Empiricism was used in ancient philosophy, medieval philosophy and is also in modern philosophy. In ancient philosophy, common sense appeared to be empiricist (Britannica). Empiricism was thought to be a vital force holding out against the speculative rationalist philosophy's pretension. In medieval philosophy, most philosophers got hold of the empiricist position, at least on the ideas, even though they acknowledged most of the considerable knowledge that was nonempirical. There were the initial and unsystematic phases of speculation on Renaissance philosophy in modern philosophy claiming that logic yielded significant understanding (Britannica). The philosophers also stressed the role of observation.

           Teaching requires an empirical component. Empiricism can improve teaching an individual since it is that the best teacher is always an experience. Experience helps individuals to enhance their ability to learn and also to teach. An examination into the experience nature has relevancy in education and is connected to learning and teaching (Usman). The main objective of education is to acquire and disseminate knowledge and other purposes, including developing personality, skills, and attitudes. In teaching, acquaintance is used to imparting wisdom to other people further. Practicing education comprises understanding an individual and their surroundings because they plan and implement education for it (Usman).

           Rationalists argue that there is no necessity for observation for someone to understand that 1+1 equals 2. They say that any individual can understand addition and one and can also do it by themselves. In contrast, empiricists assert the opposite; that an individual can only understand that 1+1 equals two as they have seen and encountered it in their lives. Another argument by the empiricists is that children learn by observing their seniors and how individuals understand things, including logic and math. Another example of empiricism is that children in the class can only learn through physical experience. When teaching about counting, children count by themselves using sticks or objects, not to forget how to count.

           Therefore, empiricism manifests in various ways. The main differentiation among them is based on their rest. The public version is that what people perceive in their physical surroundings is attributed to their experiences. The phenomenalist version asserts that the support helps only an individual's sensory experience.

 

Works Cited

Alston, William P. Empiricism, 1998, doi: 10.4324/9780415249126-P014-1. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor and Francis, <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/empiricism/v-1</span>.

"Empiricism - History of Empiricism." Encyclopedia Britannica, 2021, <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">https://www.britannica.com/topic/empiricism/History-of-empiricism</span>.

Usman, Muhammad Inuwa. "Philosophical Relevance Of A Rational - Empiricist'S Epistemology for Education." International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, vol 4, no. 4, 2013, <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">https://infonomics-society.org/wp-content/uploads/ijcdse/published-papers/voulme-4-2013/Philosophical-Relevance-of-a-Rational-Empiricists-Epistemology-for-Education.pdf</span>.