section_path: Western/Early modern
section_name: Early modern
paragraph_text: Early modern
  
  Early modern philosophy encompasses the 17th and 18th centuries. The philosophers of this period are traditionally divided into empiricists and rationalists. However, contemporary historians argue that this division is not a strict dichotomy but rather a matter of varying degrees. These schools share a common goal of establishing a clear, rigorous, and systematic method of inquiry. This philosophical emphasis on method mirrored the advances occurring simultaneously during the scientific revolution.
  
  Empiricism and rationalism differ concerning the type of method they advocate. Empiricism focuses on sensory experience as the foundation of knowledge. In contrast, rationalism emphasizes reason—particularly the principles of non-contradiction and sufficient reason —and the belief in innate knowledge. While the emphasis on method was already foreshadowed in Renaissance thought, it only came to full prominence during the early modern period.
  
  The second half of this period saw the emergence of the Enlightenment movement, which used these philosophical advances to challenge traditional authorities while promoting progress, individual freedom, and human rights.