<P> Charles Peirce ( 1839 -- 1914 ) was highly influential in laying the groundwork for today 's empirical scientific method . Although Peirce severely criticized many elements of Descartes ' peculiar brand of rationalism , he did not reject rationalism outright . Indeed , he concurred with the main ideas of rationalism , most importantly the idea that rational concepts can be meaningful and the idea that rational concepts necessarily go beyond the data given by empirical observation . In later years he even emphasized the concept - driven side of the then ongoing debate between strict empiricism and strict rationalism , in part to counterbalance the excesses to which some of his cohorts had taken pragmatism under the `` data - driven '' strict - empiricist view . </P>
<P> Charles Peirce ( 1839 -- 1914 ) was highly influential in laying the groundwork for today 's empirical scientific method . Although Peirce severely criticized many elements of Descartes ' peculiar brand of rationalism , he did not reject rationalism outright . Indeed , he concurred with the main ideas of rationalism , most importantly the idea that rational concepts can be meaningful and the idea that rational concepts necessarily go beyond the data given by empirical observation . In later years he even emphasized the concept - driven side of the then ongoing debate between strict empiricism and strict rationalism , in part to counterbalance the excesses to which some of his cohorts had taken pragmatism under the `` data - driven '' strict - empiricist view . </P>
who is the thinker that unified the divide between empiricism and rationalism
who is the thinker that unified the divide between empiricism and rationalism
Charles Peirce ( 1839 -- 1914 )
Charles Peirce ( 1839 -- 1914 )