RATIONALISM

1. INTRODUCTION.
   Rationalism is that theory of knowledge which holds that reason (Latin, ratio) is the criterion and source of knowledge. As the criterion of knowledge reason is the universal and necessary; as the source of knowledge reason is innate ideas (from the Latin in and natus, "born"). But rationalism is more than an epistemological position; it is a metaphysical view, that the real is the rational and the rational is the real. This principle takes various forms, but they all agree that the rational has primacy in the understanding of reality; otherwise, knowledge of reality is impossible.

2. HISTORY.
   Historically there has been two forms of rationalism:
   1. Ancient Rationalism.
      Ancient (Greek) rationalism saw reason to be objective (external and independent of the mind) and static.
      1. Eleactics.
      2. Platonism.
      3. Aristotelianism.
      4. Augustinianism.
   2. Modern Rationalism.
      Modern rationalism sees reason to be subjective (internal and dependent on the mind) and dynamic.
      1. Descartes.
      2. Spinoza.
      3. Leibniz.
      4. Kant.
      5. Absolute Idealism.
         1. Fichte.
         2. Schelling.
         3. Hegel.