Nativism Perceptions Built Operational Birth Informative World Contents

There are perceptions that are built in and operational at birth and are informative about the world.   The contents of the mind are not solely the product of experience, but are influenced by its inborn structure.  It is the belief in innate ideas, tendencies, and dispositions.  Nativism stresses inherited characteristics; it places less emphasis on the environment and consequently takes a more conservative view of the expected outcome of educational experience.  This orientation would not be consistent with social reform and political involvement (such as with Descartes and Kant)

Main advocates: Socrates & Plato, Descartes, Kant