Philosophy and roots of science of mind Flashcards
What approach did the Parmenides take?
‘It is’. Things changing was only an illusion. Don’t trust observation
What is empiricism?
Contrasts to rationalism, emphasises role of experience, gains info through sensory perception/observation.
What did the Socrates say about the truth compared to Plato?
Socrates = only true knowledge is knowing you have nothing, sorted through conversation. Plato = Knowledge derived from logic
What was the allegory of the cave?
Prisoners only saw shadows (not true form). Urge to deny new reality
What are the 3 elements of the tripartite mind?
Logistikon (intellect, reasoning), Thumos (spiritual centre of mind), Epithumentikon (Governed desires + appetites)
What does pseudoscience compare? (4)
Introversion/extraversion, sensing/intuition, feeling/thinking, judging/perceiving
What was the Ancient Greek thought?
World viewed as souls, spirits and magic. Naturalistic views
Who said that ‘all that exists are invisible particles, which move in a void?’
Democritus
What was the view of Socrates?
Use systematic questioning, concerned with ethics and politics
What were Aristotle’s 2 virtues to happiness?
1st systematic attempt of understanding physical & biological world, no experimentation, only observation
What was Thomas Aquinas’ role in this?
Combined intellectual rigour with Christian faith, adopted Aristotle’s notion about souls. Developed analysis of causes
What were Galen’s 4 parts of humourism?
Sanguine (blood, air, liver, courage), Melancholic (black bile, Earth, spleen, tired), choleric (yellow bile, fire, gall bladder, anger), phlegmatic (phlegm, water, brain, rationality)
What are the 5 personality variables?
Openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion
Describe the cultural transition between 16th-19th century
Observation displaced wisdom. Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kent, Kierkegaard.
Define epistemology and ontology
Epistemology = What knowledge is, how we get it. Ontology = What exists
Describe the work of Plato
A rationalist, mistrusting observation. Only know appearances.
Describe Aristotle’s background
Founded Lyceum (empiricist), defined soul as gives form to matter
Describe rationalism and senses
Deceiving and shouldn’t b trusted, people should rely on logic
Describe rationalism and nativist
Skills are hard wired or innated to brain. Must trust observation
Describe the view of Presocratics
Mark transition in Western culture. Rational thoughts. Aim to disclose Logos (underlying order of Cosmos).
What did Thales say?
Proposed 1st theories based on critical reason & observation
What was Pythagoras’ view?
Logos is mathematical, number and ratios have psychological properties
What did Heraclitus say?
Senses are unreliable, Logos can be known through wisdom. Things are processes
What viewpoint did Zeno, Parmenides take?
Trust in reason and mistrust in senses.
Describe Descartes’ mind, body dualism
Rationalist, reasoning soul, questioned everything.
What is the pervasive construct of Dualism?
Ontological distinction. Mind (res cogitans) and matter (res extensa) are different. Matter occupies space, but doesn’t think. Mind thinks, but doesn’t occupy space
What are primary and secondary qualities?
Primary = Objective, physical world. Secondary = Subjective, mental life.
Define Tabla Rasa
Mind is empty at birth, no innate ideas
What was Locke’s work?
Views influential in American/French revolutions. World solely consists of matter in motion, Matter is qualities like mass, motion,
What were Hume’s views?
Skepticism. Age of reason, argue from convictions. Scottish Enlightenment. Developed role of association, untrust of systematic doubt.
Describe moral psychology and free will
Morality is felt, then reasoned. Free will = causality is an illusion. No core self
What were Kierkegaard’s beliefs?
Existentialism, authenticity gives meaning to life. Embody spirit of enlightenment, sought to replace dogma with critical enquiry.
What did Kant’s book illustrate?
About ideal education, that encouraged natural moral intelligence. Illustrated crucial principle of Enlightenment thought
What were Kant’s main beliefs?
Perceptual experiences were not habitual beliefs. A priori categories which must already be in the mind, do not need experience to make judgements. Understand causation. There is a Transcendental/pure-self.
What are overall differences between rationalism, empiricism and dualism?
Rationalism uses logic to understand world (Plato). Empiricism uses senses to interpret world (Aristotle). Dualism states mind and body are separate and different.
