Continental Rationalism

Continental Rationalism is a philosophical movement that emerged in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasizes reason as the primary source of knowledge, contrasting with empiricism, which focuses on sensory experience. Key figures include René Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. They believed in the power of human reason to arrive at truths about existence, knowledge, and morality, often proposing that certain ideas (like God and innate concepts) are inherent in the human mind. This rationalist tradition laid the groundwork for modern philosophy and science by promoting systematic thinking and logical analysis.