Exam 1 vocab (ch. 1-4) Flashcards
determinism
the assumption that what is being studied can be understood in terms of causal laws (specify how events are casually related)
principle of falsifiability
for a theory to be scientific, it must be able to be tested and conceivably proven false; it must refutable
paradigm
the entire constellation of beliefs, values, techniques, and so on shared by the members of a given scientific community
normal science
activities of exploring; the implications of a paradigm
* limits the set of problems
* limits the types of methods
* limits alternative explanations
anomalies
something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected
epiphenomenonalism
the brain causes mental events, but mental events cannot cause behavior
self-awareness
simulating your own mind and body
theory of mind
simulating other people’s minds
mechanism
the behavior of all organisms, including humans, can be explained in the same way that the behavior of any machine cane be - in terms of parts and the laws governing those parts
epistemology
the study of knowledge
laws of association
laws thought responsible for holding mental events together in memory; contrast, similarity, frequency, contiguity
zeitgeist
the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time
physis
the idea that everything is made up of one element; Thales thought it was water
scala naturae
the hierarchical design of nature, placing humans at the top
hierarchy of souls
a living things potential/purpose is determined by the type of soul it has; vegetative, sensitive, rational
theory of forms
everything in the natural world is a manifestation of a pure form/idea that exists in the abstract, which is obtained only through introspection
parsimony
finding the simplest, accurate explanation for cognitive processes and behaviors
Occam’s razor
simple theories are easier to verify
positivism
the belief that only those objects or events that can be experienced directly should be the object of science inquiry; just because you believe something doesn’t mean it’s factual
inductive reasoning
starts with an observation and forms a conclusion
deductive reasoning
starts with something general and hones in on a specific conclusion
monists
those who attempt to explain everything in terms of one type of reality
- materialists
- idealists
materialists
those who believe that matter is the only reality and, therefore, everything in the universe, including the cognitions and behaviors of organisms, must be explained in terms of matter
idealists
those who believe that even our so-called physical reality results from perceived ideas
dualists
those who believe that there are physical events and mental events
rationalism
explanations of human behavior that emphasizes the importance of logical, systematic, and intelligent thought processes
irrationalism
the claim that the true causes of behavior are unconscious and as such cannot be experienced rationally
nativist
emphasizes the role of inheritance (nature) in their explanation of the origins of various human attributes
empiricist
emphasizes the role of the experience (nurture)
universalism
some ideas have universal application or applicability; a belief in one fundamental truth
relativism
denies claims to objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assessed
civilization
a complex society that is characterized by urban development, social stratification, a form of government, and symbolic systems of communication (such as writing).
teleology
the explanation of phenomena in terms of the purpose they serve rather than of the cause by which they arise
The Golden Mean
vice and virtue scale; wanting to be in the center with balance between good and bad
skepticism
the theory that certain knowledge is impossible
cynicism
rejecting society, similar to hippies, rejecting progress, anti-slavery; living free
dogmatism
rigidly hold onto a belief or way of thinking
neo-platonism
the soul is perfect and does not die; the body is imperfect and dies; the cultural stage Christianity comes into
stoicism
older philosophy, like fate, cannot control over the world; things happen for a reason; world is broken, goal is to go to Heaven
individualism
a social theory favoring freedom of action for individuals over collective or state control.
humanism
a rationalist outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters
primary qualities
objective; physical qualities of something, doesn’t change no matter who looks at it (shape, size, texture, mass, light, etc.)
secondary qualities
subjective; things that only exist in the mind; only exist as an experience (taste, weight, color, etc.)
radical empiricism
argued for the possibility of scientific knowledge based only upon inductive reasoning and careful observation of events in nature
Clockwork Universe
everything is precise and predictable
doubt (Descartes)
everything we know comes through our senses, but our senses can be fooled
Cartesian Dualism
the mind and body can be separate and can exist by themselves
