The main period to which the philosophy of the new time belongs is the 17-18th century. For this stage of development of philosophical thought , the existence of several directions is characteristic. This is the English philosophy of the 17th century (empiricism), led by Fr. Bacon (1561-1626), Hobbes, Locke; rationalism, led by Descartes (1596-1650), Leibniz, Spinoza; the philosophy of enlightenment of the 18th century (Voltaire, Montesquieu, Didro, Russo); French materialism of the 18th century (Lametra, Holbach, Helvetius).
The philosophy of modern times a general characteristic can be given as follows. The intensive development of sciences leads to the acquisition of objects, harmoniously derived laws. Each of the sciences is determined with its own subject, the problems that determine its essence and nature. Especially noticeable is the tendency to separate science and philosophy.
The main problem of science is the knowledge of nature. Science begins to study the world, which is understood as nature, existing by its own laws. In this case, philosophy turns into a field of knowledge about the world, inventing and discovering the specific laws of physical phenomena. It actually turns into an experimental science. Social and scientific revolutions contributed to the formation of two main directions, from which the philosophy of modern times was formed: empiricism and rationalism.
Empiricism as a branch of philosophy was an area of the theory of knowledge that recognizes the paramount importance of sensory experience as the main source of knowledge.
In turn, within empiricism, such trends as idealistic and materialistic empiricism stood out. Idealistic empiricism is led by J. Berkeley (1685-1753), Hume (1711-1776). According to this direction, experience is a general totality of ideas, feelings and the magnitude of the world equal to the magnitude of experience. The second direction within empiricism was materialistic empiricism, which was approved by F. Bacon and T. Hobbes. Representatives of this direction believed that the outside world is the source of human experience.
Rationalism brought to the fore the logical essence of science, the source of knowledge and the main criterion of truth called the mind.
The rationalist philosophy of modern times also had several separate trends within the general direction. The doctrine of knowledge is called epistemology. Rationalism in the philosophy of modern times was based on this concept. Man in his being changes the world around him. Society refers to the world from a practical point of view. A man for his own being is obliged to change the world around him. For this change to be optimal, it must be controlled by knowledge.
Gnoseology should clarify the nature of human cognition, its laws, goals and possibilities. She studies the mechanisms of cognitive activity, explores the structure of knowledge, the role of social and biological factors of cognition, etc. Gnoseology is associated with psychology, cybernetics, linguistics and many other sciences.
Thus, the philosophy of modern times for the first time comprehended the paradox of science through the epistemological systems of empiricism and rationalism . Science began to be understood as a system of true true knowledge. Empiricists saw the source of knowledge in experience, rationalists in the mind. Synthesize these views tried I. Kant.
In the new time period, inductive methods of cognition were advanced to the main plan. In modern times a very close relationship was established between philosophy and science, which led to the formation of a full-fledged scientific picture of the world.
Science from this period becomes the means by which philosophy cognized the world. It has become an integral part of the subject of philosophical thinking. Therefore, the image of the world, man and science itself has changed a lot. Science opens up the natural world to people and helps the development of civilization as a whole.