Rene' Descartes:

http://www.artsci.gmcc.ab.ca/courses/peds205ml/experientiallearning.html - academic paper on the history of experiential education.  Has some references to Descartes and other philosophers. 

http://www.unc.edu/~jfr/Texts/dskeparg.htm article looking at epistemological problems of Descartes