Empiricism versus Rationalism Classroom Philosophy Lesson for Middle and HS

How the mind works is an essential philosophical problem that forms the basis for a theory of knowledge. In this ready-to-go 45-minute jargon-free lesson, introduce your students to two famous theories – one touting that the mind is like a blank sheet of paper and the other that ideas are built-in to the mind like a muffin tin is pre-set with the shape of muffins (before you even bake ’em in the oven)! Which worldview makes the most sense? Introduce your students to this very important epistemological debate!

*The educational download contains PDF & Google Workspace files.*

Essential Question: What is the underlying foundation for all knowledge?

Topic: Epistemology, Theory of Knowledge

Duration: One 45-minute class period

This lesson resource includes the following features:

• 1 Classroom-tested Teacher’s Guide for the Lesson
• 1 Entrance Ticket handout
• 2 Visuals
• 1 Note-taking template
• 1 Filled-in teacher’s copy of the note-taking template
• 10 useful links for further research on empiricism and rationalism

Suggested Classroom Use:

• TOK (International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge course)
• Introduction to Philosophy course

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