Metaphysics is an area of philosophical study which concerns itself with the existence of things. With the question of existence comes the idea of deity, for if one is to determine how one exists, it must be determined how one came into existence. The 18th century, better known as the Enlightenment, initiated a paradigm shift in metaphysical thought. Empiricism and Rationalism are contrasting schools of philosophy which portray the attitudes of the Enlightenment, these philosophies radically changed the contemporary thought of religion, and human existence, but most importantly empiricism, academically questioned the existence of God. Descartes, a chief exponent to rationalism, argued the Empirical premises and maintained that God necessarily exists. Descartes’ argumentation is flawed and does not adequately prove the existence of God. The disparity in thought brought about scepticism and created social, political, and economic change. To analyse both philosophical schools of thought one must discuss how they respectively argue the realities of existence.

To further understand the reasoning of both philosophies, one must analyse their chief premises. Rationalism p

It is recognized by all that God cannot be observed. God is a belief. “For something to be a truly religious belief, it has to be just that. A belief, something that is not knowledge (Saeren Kierkegaard 1813-1855).” Religion is itself a belief. It is based upon faith. The statement “God exists” could as easily be wrong, as right. There is no method by which this could be proven to be false or true. The notion of God could never have been comprehended had it not been previously present. However, the questioning of His existence has laid the foundations for the freedom in thought which today’s Western civilization holds to be the foremost value of human existence.

To understand the claim of rationalistic philosophers, the phrase “I think therfore I am” expounded by Descartes is a valid summary. Descartes was adamant that his own existence was very clear and distinct in his mind; his observation led him to deduce a rule. Everything that is perceived as very clear and very distinct in his mind is true . Descartes starts his proof by dividing “thought” into four categories; ideas (concepts), volitions (choices), emotions (desires), and judgements (beliefs). He then breaks down these categories to discover which types of thoughts can yield error. Error can occur only in the judgement of whether the idea is true or false. “One may have an idea of what it would be like to burn ones finger, but that idea has no rightness or wrongness until a judgement is made as to whether one believes or disbelieves the idea.” In other words, having an idea is one thing, but believing it is something different.

Mysticism is one valid explanation that an empiricist could use to give a valid claim on God. Occurrences where God has in some way been witnessed are not infrequent. Visions and miracles are both ways in which in some opinions, God existence can been proved through the senses. Therefore making it an empirical experience. If an individual perceived an encounter with a Supreme Being, an empiricistic belief in God would be allowed. Visions and miracles are phenomena that can be experienced by an individual or by a group of people. It is difficult to find solid truth in visions, since they are most commonly attributed to hallucinations or dreams. There is no concrete evidence that a vision has occurred. It is only the seer that has actual proof. It is, once again, David Hume who criticizes the belief in miracles. "A miracle is a violation of the laws of nature. There must, therefore, be a uniform experience against every miraculous event.” He also stated “nothing is esteemed a miracle if it ever happened in the common course of nature." Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) made a comparable statement on the same issue. "In the affairs of life, therefore, it is impossible for us to count on miracles or to take them into consideration at all in our use of reason and reason must be used in every incident of life.” If m

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