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1 Introduction To History Edited 28102021 020108pm
1 Introduction To History Edited 28102021 020108pm
1 Introduction To History Edited 28102021 020108pm
Week 1 and ii
Reference:
Name of Text Book:
An Introduction to the History of Psychology (6th Edition) by
B.R. Hergenhahn.
Psychology’s Diversity
Presentism Historicism
Attempting to understand the Study past for its own sake
past through the present state without attempting to show the
of discipline, supposing it to be VS. relationship between the past
the highest stage of and present
development and the past
merely facilitating this stage.
At present psychology is exploring many topics, methods and
assumptions. Which of these would survive for inclusion in future
history books is impossible to say. Using the present as a frame of
reference, therefore does not necessarily assume that
Psychology’s past evolved into its present or that current
psychology represents the best psychology.
However, no matter how much historicism is emphasized,
presentism cannot be completely avoided when reporting history.
As Lovett puts it: “Without the present the very concept of
‘history’ would be meaningless”
Moving Forward….
APPROACHES TO USE
Zeitgeist Great Person Approach
Aka spirit of the time. Emphasizing the Emphasize the work of individuals
influence of non-psychological factors such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes,
such as development in other sciences, Darwin or Freud. Some say that
political climate, technological History in fact resolves itself very
advancement and economic conditions. easily into the biography of few stout
and earnest people.
Superstitions
Abstract Thought Process
Past Authorities
Church Dogma
Later,
Science came into existence as a way of answering questions about
nature by examining nature directly
From science’s inception its ultimate authority has
been empirical observation
Empirical Theoretical
Observation Explanation
According to Hull (1943):
Men are ever engaged in the dual activity of making observations and then
seeking explanations of the resulting relation. All normal men in all times have
observed the rising and setting of the sun and the several phases of the moon.
The more thoughtful among them have then proceeded to ask the question,
why? Why does the moon wax and wane? Why does the sun rise and set, and
where does it go when it set? Here we have the two essential elements of
modern science: The making of observations constitutes the empirical or factual
component, and the systematic attempt to explain those facts constitutes the
theoretical component. As science has developed, specialization or divisions of
labor has occurred, some men have devoted their time mainly to the making of
observations, while a smaller number have occupied themselves with the
problems of explanation
REVIEW….:
✘ What is Science?
✘ What is Science Made of:
* Empirical Observation
* Theoretical Explanation
✘ Ways of Attaining Knowledge in Science?
What makes science such a powerful tool is that it
combines two ancient methods of attaining knowledge:
RATIONALISM EMPRICISM
any view appealing knowledge comes
to reason as a only or primarily
source of from sensory
knowledge or
experience.
justification".
Apply the rule of
logic
RATIONALISTS EMPIRICISM
• have claimed that the ultimate starting • The notion of tabula rasa ("clean slate" or
point for all knowledge is not the senses "blank tablet") connotes a view of mind as
but reason. an originally blank or empty recorder on
• They maintain that without prior categories which experience leaves marks.
and principles supplied by reason, we • This denies that humans have innate
couldn't organize and interpret our sense ideas.
experience in any way. • Empiricists have always claimed that sense
• We would be faced with just one huge, experience is the ultimate starting point for
undifferentiated, whirl of sensation, all our knowledge.
signifying nothing. • The senses, they maintain, give us all our
• Rationalism in its purest form goes so far raw data about the world, and without this
as to hold that all our rational beliefs, and raw material, there would be no knowledge
the entirety of human knowledge, consists at all.
in first principles and innate concepts • Perception starts a process, and from this
(concepts that we are just born having). process come all our beliefs.
• They talked about introspection • Knowledge is acquired through empirical
evidence.
• Observation and experimentation.
After centuries of inquiry it was found that by themselves rationalism
and empiricism had little usefulness. It was science that combined the
two positions and knowledge has been accumulating at
an exponential
rate ever since.
The rationalist’s aspect of science prevents it from simply
collecting an endless array of disconnected empirical facts.
Because the scientist must somehow make sense out of what
he or she observes, theories are formulated.
A scientific theory has two main functions:
1) It organizes empirical observations
2) It acts as a guide for future observations. This generates
confirmable propositions.
A theory suggests propositions that are tested experimentally.
If proposition is confirmed through experiment, the theory gains
strength, if the proposition is not confirmed, it loses strength. Thus
scientific theories must be testable otherwise they are either revised or
abandoned based on erroneous propositions.
In science, then, the direct observation of nature is important, but
such observation is often guided by theory.
REVIEW….:
✘ What is Science?
✘ What is Science Made of:
* Empirical Observation
* Theoretical Explanation
✘ Ways of Attaining Knowledge in Science?
*Empiricism Vs Rationalism
✘ Scientific Laws
Another feature of science is that it seeks to discover lawful
relationships. Therefore a scientific law would mean:
SCIENTIFIC LAW
a consistently observed relationship between
two or more classes of empirical events.
For example, when X occurs, Y also tends to
occur. Science, then, uses theories to find and
explain lawful, empirical events
By stressing lawfulness, science is proclaiming an interest in
the general case rather than the particular case. Traditionally, science is not
interested in private or unique events but in general laws that can be
publicly observed and verified. That is, a scientific law is general and,
because it describes a relationship between empirical events, it is amenable
to public observation.
Free will is the idea that we are able to have some choice
in how we act and assumes that we are free to choose our
behavior, in other words we are self determined.
Humanistic
Empiricism- emphasize
human attributes to be
determined by experience.
Rationalist- Postulate an active mind,
where data is transformed from experience
in some important way. Information is
organized, pondered, understood or
valued. Mind adds material to the physical
environment.