Difference Between Empiricism And Positivism

Critical reading note: Empiricism and Positivism Paradigm Patcharin Ngoenthong

Student ID 581255905

In the past, The philosophers debates about source of knowledge and how we gained knowledge?. They’re concluding source of knowledge in three point. First, The sensation (5 categories; sight, hearing, smell, tastes and touch). Second, The Reason and Third, The Intuition. The source of knowledge still doubts about what is the source to be true? They divided in to group based on an idea or belief. In three groups as include Empiricism, Intuitionism and Rationalism. However, The Positivism is based on Empiricism. This paper I will conclude about definition and differences of the Empiricism Rationalism and Positivism.

The Rationalism,

Rationalism is beliefs in the external world that give somethings like a power or transcendent being. Empiricism is belief in sensation experience that looks like a science. I think both concepts are conflict in some situation and compatible in some situation. For example, you can’t test or examination about the God’s existence but you can’t say it is true or false or meaningless because may be verified in the future. The paradigm of Positivism seems to be combined of Rationalism and Empiricism. Positivism focus on a priori knowledge same Rationalism but in difference point, Positivist beliefs in nature of reality that can be verified by science process but don’t belief in the innate. The innate knowledge seems to be skeptically for them and trying to examination about the reality for support warranted beliefs. While Empiricism is rejected the innate knowledge but emphasizes truth-reliable process. It’s look like the one of science process, Such measurement which needs to be reliability and generalize outcomes. I think Positivism paradigm can be applied to designs in quantitative nursing research. Because in science process of paradigm are trustworthiness. Empiricism is use for designs measurement. For example, when you develop tool for measure you need to test and retest. It means a posteriori and reliable. Furthermore, Positivism can controlled you designs and guarantee that outcome is true. They’re controlling bias by observation and detachment, try to find out the problem, hypothesis or outcome which lead to reality, seek to understand and provide a good practice in