Rationalist thought is a philosophical approach that emphasizes reason and logic as the primary sources of knowledge. It asserts that certain truths can be discovered through intellectual deduction rather than sensory experience. Key figures in this movement include René Descartes and Baruch Spinoza, who argued that the mind's ability to think and reason is fundamental to understanding reality. In contrast to empiricism, which relies on observation and experience, rationalism posits that innate ideas and principles exist within the mind. This perspective has influenced various fields, including mathematics, science, and ethics, shaping modern philosophical discourse and the development of critical thinking.