Empiricism asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience as Arts, while Rationalism is the principle or habit of accepting reason as the supreme authority in matters of opinion, belief, or conduct as Science.
In this way, I believe that in general Science is still today a rationalist following the scientific method since the 17th century, and consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses. The scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. Although, much 19th century physics (a science example) has been re-evaluated as the “classical limit” of quantum mechanics, and its more advanced developments in terms of quantum field theory, string theory, and speculative quantum gravity theories.
Since my experience I consider the Science also empirical, because in Biology -the study of life- you are an observer able to recognize the taxonomy of plants or animals or in my own case, pollen grains, first following intuitions, remembers or hunches and then comparing with the collections and taxonomical keys to confirm the results. In fact, some biologists I now are rationalist but at the same time empirical artist -musicians, painters, photographers etc.-, and many physicians/mathematicians from 17th century were musicians, lecturer in literature and monks like was Galileo or alchemist and mystics as was Newton, who after death the Royal Society kept for more than two hundred years a baggage with books about alchemy, personal interpretations about holly writings, and historical chronologies, that he read and transcribed to handwriting1.
That is interesting and very connected what Williams James set out: “The metaphysical view most commonly known as neutral monism, according to which there is one fundamental –stuff- that is neither material nor mental. In -A Pluralistic Universe” he defends the mystical and anti-pragmatic view that concepts distort rather than reveal reality, and in his influential Pragmatism (1907), he presents systematically a set of views about truth, knowledge, reality, religion, and philosophy that permeate his writings from the late 1870s onwards”.
To conclude and following a thought from a biologist friend: “Science is not formal logic — it needs the free play of the mind in as great a degree as any other creative art. It is true that this is a gift which can hardly be taught, but its growth can be encouraged in those who already possess it.”
1 Verlet Loup, La malle de Newton. Editions Gallimard, 1993.