Empiricism is the theory that knowledge evolves from sensory experience and internal mental interactions, such as emotions and personal reflection. An empiricist obtains their facts based on close observation and experiments, which is ultimately the use of an inductive thought process. For empiricists, facts precede theories. Most empiricists are impartial and objective observers of facts. One of the main beliefs of empiricism is that no one can gain knowledge of the world without experimenting and reasoning. Within empiricism are the major philosophers who contributed to its development and discoveries. Aristotle views experience as the result of sensory perception and memory. As experience is seen as the primary source of knowledge within this school of thought, knowledge therefore depends entirely on the use of our primary senses and what we discover throughout the use of these senses. Aristotle is sometimes said to be the founder of empiricist thought, because he believed that there is nothing in the intellect that is not previously in the senses. Other key philosophers of empiricism include: the Sophists, Epicurus, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon, John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume and John Stuart Mill. Each of these philosophers came to the same conclusion that the intellect is created on the basis of an individual's sensory perception. Capitalism is a social system based on the principle of individual rights and can be commonly referred to as “economic individualism”. The basic principle of capitalism is the goal of self-interest and that the right to private property is morally defensible and legally correct. Ultimately, capitalism believes that the state exists to protect the rights of individuals. Middle of paper ......nect fully in our own economic freedom. As a result, empiricism allows for the existence of economic freedom within capitalism. In conclusion, empiricism and capitalism are two unique schools of thought that in some way work in correlation with each other. Since both schools of thought believe that knowledge is obtained from outside oneself, they share the commonality of believing in knowledge a posteriori. John Locke, one of the leading British empiricists of his time, believed in the concepts of both empiricism and capitalism, ultimately linking the two schools of thought. Through the research and work of John Stuart Mills, it is evident that empiricism allows for the existence of economic freedom in a capitalist society. As a result, empiricism and capitalism have completely different concepts, but share several commonalities..