chapter 1 - introduction

Question 1

how are humans similar yet different from other animals?

Answer 1

• humans and animals both experiences thinking, perceptions, sensations, and other bodily functions needed for survival (sex, hunger, fight or flight)
• humans have the capabilities for complex thinking, morality, culture, language, purpose, etc

Question 2

describe some of the ways that our minds simulate ourselves and the world around us

Answer 2

• consciousness is the ability to simulate the world and imagine things outside of ourselves
• self awareness is the ability to simulate our own mind and body
• theory of mind is the ability to simulate the minds of others
• mental time travel is the ability to simulate the past and future

Question 3

our ancestors’ minds appeared to have changed dramatically around 50-100 thousand years ago. how did they change and what evidence do we have of that change?

Answer 3

• their minds became larger and more complex over time, leading to more sophisticated developments
• functional fixedness of tools
• the development of: shell jewelry, tribes, ceremonies, burials, clothing, complex tools 50k years ago
• cave paintings in france: storytelling, marking territory, individuality, awareness of the self, theory of mind 37k years ago

Question 4

what is science? what are the roots of science? how did it improve our ability to find truth? what are its limits?

Answer 4

what it is
- science is a tool, method, and set of assumptions to make observations to then attempt to explain what was observed
- rationalism and empiricism (observation and theory), observation of nature and explanation of nature
roots
- a way of answering questions about nature
- examining nature directly rather than depending on church dogma or authorities alone
finding truth
- science is increasing approximations of the truth
- improved our ability to find truth through empirical observation and scientific method through testable theories
- truth as a connection to reality
limits
- visible, measurable, testable

Question 5

what are paradigms and how do they both guide and limit science?

Answer 5

• paradigms are a common set of assumptions and beliefs shared by researchers which dictates what is a problem and how to study it
• guides science by guaranteeing certain phenomena are studied thoroughly, guides researchers’ activities (theory and method)
• limits the set of problems, types of methods, and alternative explanations

Question 6

what are some of the persistent questions in psychology? how do these relate to the idea of paradigms?

Answer 6

• what is the nature of human nature?
• how are the mind and body related?
• nature vs nurture
• rationalism vs irrationalism (emotion vs not)
• how are humans and nonhumans related?
• objective vs subjective reality
• the problem of self
• universalism vs relativism
• relates: attempts to specify what is true about humans; what all humans are equipped with just in virtue of being human

Question 7

what is the mind-body problem? what are some of the historical roots of this issue?

Answer 7

• the mind-body problem is the debate of the connection of the physical body and the mind; the relation between the two
• whether mental phenomena is physical or not
• in the 17th century rene descartes is credited for dualism, thinking that there are two aspects to humans (mind and body are separate)