Immanuel Kant (1724–1804)

Is the central figure in modern philosophy. He synthesized early modern rationalism and empiricism, set the terms for much of nineteenth and twentieth century philosophy, and continues to exercise a significant influence today in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, and other fields. The fundamental idea of Kant's “critical philosophy”. 

He argues that the human understanding is the source of the general laws of nature that structure all our experience; and that human reason gives itself the moral law, which is our basis for belief in God, freedom, and immortality. Therefore, scientific knowledge, morality, and religious belief are mutually consistent and secure because they all rest on the same foundation of human autonomy, which is also the final end of nature according to the teleological worldview of reflecting judgment that Kant introduces to unify the theoretical and practical parts of his philosophical system.

Leibniz (1646 - 1716)

German philosopher, mathematician, historian and jurist, contemporary of Newton (1642-1727), with whom he feuded bitterly over the invention of calculus. Although Gottfried Leibniz left behind no philosophical magnum opus, he is still considered to be among the giant thinkers of the 17th-century. Leibniz believed in "pre-established harmony" between the outer world and maind, and developed a philosophy of Rationalism by which he attempted to reconcile the existence of matter with the existence of God. Bertrand Russel wrote that Leibniz's intellect "was highly abstract and logical; his greatest claim to fame is as an inventor of the infinitesimal calculus

Leibniz's reflections on epistemological matters do not rival his reflections on logic, metaphysics, divine justice, and natural philosophy in terms of quantity. Nevertheless, he did think deeply about the possibility and nature of human knowledge, and his main doctrines 

Basic Questions

1.  What is knowledge? That is, what counts as knowledge as opposed to belief or opinion?

a)      beliefs which are true for which we can give justification

1. 2.   Can we have knowledge? Are human beings capable of knowing anything?

a)      Skepticism - "No!"

b)      Dogmatism - "Yes!"

1. 3.   How do we get knowledge? What is the process by which knowledge is obtained?

a)      Rationalism - through reason alone

b)      Empiricism - through the senses alone

1. 4.      What can we know?

a)      What ever we want to know.

1. 5.      How can we know it?

a)      Through reason

1. 6.      Why do we know some things, but not others?

a)      Because our reason or our senses, don’t perceive it

1. 7.      Is knowledge possible?

a)      Skepticism - "No!"

b)      Dogmatism - "Yes!"

1. 8.      Can knowledge be certain?

a)      Yes. It is acquired through experience.

1. 9.      How can we differentiate truth from falsehood?

a)      The truth will always provide us those beliefs that have real justification of facts.

1. 10.  Why do we believe certain claims and not others?

a)      Because we have the proof and knowledge of certain claims and according to our knowledge we can deduct which claims are truth or not.