Early History Flashcards
Materialism
- the facts of life explainable in physical term (composed of matter)
- the way the brain & matter interacts
- most used method
Idealism
facts of life can be explained in mental terms
- soul is nonmaterial/immoral & can exist alone
- consciousness is of higher matter & can’t be reduced to matter (hippocrates)
Plato (greek civilization)
- believed in distinction b/w body & soul
- inborn variations in their souls
- emphasized rationalism as method of knowledge…. humans are inherently rational so we have access to higher knowledge
Aristotle (greek civilization)
mind/body dualism: they co-exist
-the soul needs the body to exist and the body needs the soul
Reflexivity
(1) objects of psych study are not passive bc usually humans
- they actively interpret their worlds, experiences and interaction in ways that cannot be eliminated in their performance as research participants
(2) the knowledge produced by psychology applies as much to the agents of production as to the objects they are attempting to explain.
(3) the knowledge produced by psychologist and their characteristics themselves influence how participants respond while being studied
Thomas Aquinas
- soul required for body and body required for soul
- to gain knowledge in the world we can depend on our soul
rational method
thinking, reasoning, logic and deduction, with these we will be able to get to the truth of knowledge
Aristotle’s Cognition
- named the 5 senses & through the laws of association, the common sense synthesizes sensory data into meaningful perceptions
- gain knowledge through sensory data, record them & then use sensory data to deduce the results
- located the mind in the heart
India’s Contribution to Psych
extraordinary attention to the search for the meaning of life & psych experiences of an individual
Hinduism
- only way to achieve happiness & salvation is through true knowledge
- emphasis on reality (what we see & perceive isn’t real & we create false beliefs this way & that is what causes pain and suffering) Cognitive school of thought emphasises this idea as well
- Mind can control bodily process (ex: if someone exercise enough, they can control sickness)
- Inner psych processes: meditation, concentration, understanding your own spych experiences (HUMANIST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT)
Views from China: Confucius
- focused on producing efficient societies but also how the psyche should function in an efficient society
- focused on virtuous behaviour
- Respect authority, focused on family
- emphasized harmony & how that helps function in society
- Don’t need God, just respect yourself, authorities and focus on family and you will be a good person
Ren
need for improvement to being a more loving and caring person
Taoism
focus on harmony & simple & peaceful life
- taking care of your body
- emphases that we should focus on modesty & kindness
- coping w/ effects of aging, fatigue & stress
India & China
Indians: understanding the world
China: understanding society & focused on how to be efficient in society
Romans
-emphasis on medicine, human behaviour, teachings on modern choices & free world