Task 3 Flashcards
What was Descartes reasoning, philosophy and what was his impact on science?
- rationalist -> deductive reasoning
- dualism
- mechanistic world view; scientific study of body; idea of innate knowledge; importance of deductive reasoning
What does the Cartisian Dualism describe?
- mind is immaterial and independent of the body
- human thoughts and feelings cannot be studied
- universe and matter in it is one big machine, created by god, that could be studied by humans
What consequences did Newton’s principa mathematica have on science?
- it boosted science, but philosophers without scientific knowledge saw their status decrease
What were the three positive reactions to the scientific revolution?
- Age of Enlightenment
- Positivism
- Claims about status of knowledge
What were the four negative reactions to the scientific revolution?
- Roman Catholic Church
- Protestant churches
- Humanities
- Romantic movement
What does the term ‘age of enlightenment’ describe?
Name given to Western philosophy and cultural life of 18th century, in which autonomous thinking and observation became advocated as primary sources of knowledge, rather than reliance on authority (institutions, customs and morals).
What is Positivism?
View that authentic knowledge can only be obtained by means of scientific method. It saw religion and philosophy as inferior forms of explanation.
Who was the main proponent of the positivist view?
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
Which three progressive stages do civilizations go through according to Comte?
- Theocratic stage – Gods and spirits dominate culture. This stage marks transition from Animism -> Polytheism -> Monotheism.
- Metaphysical stage – Philosophical explanations dominate.
- Positivistic stage – Explanations provided by natural sciences dominate.
How do organizations in society try to increase their power?
- Through conflict and oppression when group is strong enough;
- Through alliance formation with other groups when it is perceived as instrumental to achieve own goals;
- Through exclusion of individuals who do not belong to group, denounced as ‘unqualified’.
What four factors contributed to increased individualization?
- Increased complexity in society
- Increased control by the state
- Individuality promoted by Christianity
- Increased availability of mirrors, books and letters
What is rationalism?
View, Source of knowledge, Research method, Main applications, Main proponents
View according to which knowledge is obtained by reasoning, usually through deductive reasoning on basis of innate knowledge (nativism).
X Source of knowledge – Reason.
X Research method – Deductive reasoning.
X Main applications – Logic, mathematics.
X Main proponents: Plato, Descartes and Leibniz.
What is empiricism?
View, Source of knowledge, Research method, Main applications, Main proponents
View according to which knowledge is obtained by means of perceptual experiences (blank slate). It usually involves the idea of associations between ideas to combine individual perceptions. It also emphasizes inductive reasoning.
X Source of knowledge – Perception.
X Research methods – Observation, experimentation and inductive reasoning.
X Main applications – Natural sciences.
X Main proponents – Natural philosophers, Locke (father), Berkeley, Hume.
What is rational psychology according to Wolff?
– It starts from self-evident truths (axioms) and on the basis of deductive reasoning, these axioms would lead to ‘demonstration’ of new knowledge. This approach guaranteed true conclusions about human soul and allowed for more involvement than simple observation.
What is empirical psychology according to Wolff?
– Built on introspection. Human mind could perceive its own operations and use this information to build a science of psychology.
