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Notes from Professor Hawkins' class on the history of psychology starting with the Greek Golden Age and ending before the modern period.
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Intro (1.16.14) Exam Qs will ask for…
o Technical Details Where did Freud say that impulsive decisions were made (Id)
o Names Who said that impulsive decisions were made in the Id (Freud)
o Key Published Workso Period in History
Socrates was in Greek Golden AgeChapter 1 (1.21.14)
Robert Watson o Influential in establishing History of Psych as discipline in Psycho Historical theorist that wrote about study of history & how you go about
writing ito R. Watson developed system for writing history
Only record selected pertinent information, not every single detail Danger of bias
Need to avoid bias Develop theoretical framework that structures the way details
are presented Historiography – the study of history
o Histories are selectiveo Historians want to avoid bias
Presentism vs. Historicism Presentism – past events interpreted from today’s perspective
o Used to evaluate thought/topic/persono Problem: demeaning previous beliefs b/c current
knowledge Historicism – interpret past events based on historical
perspectiveo More compelling, informative, and fair to historical
figureso Problem: wipe out innovations since then & fail to
account for how past conceptions have led to today Book attempts to cover both
Internal vs. External History Internal History
o History where narrative sticks as closely as it can to single topic/discipline
External Historyo History where narrative introduces external concepts
that illuminates on topic/disciplineo Book leads towards this approach, which Dr. Hawkins
considers best b/c other disciplines are highly relevant to psych
1
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Personalistic vs. Naturalistic History Personalistic History
o Better to explain historical developments by considering key figures
o Ex. We now have a workable Theory of Evolution b/c Charles Darwin (bk)
Wasn’t only one responsible, but his theory is the only one supported by science
Naturalistic Historyo Placing historical developments in natural context
where you address notions that shape thought of individuals/era/location where you can give multiple examples of idea that arose from such an intellectual climate
o Ex. Zeitgeist / Ortgeist Zeitgeist – spirit of age/time
Ex. if Darwin hadn’t have done it, someone else would’ve
Ortgeist – intellectual climate of location Ex. intellectual climate of U.S.
o Some terminology: Prescriptive Theory : R. Watson’s notion that there are attributes that
you can describe regarding individuals/movements/places/etc that help define the framework in which these ppl operate
Beliefs on left tend towards science while right side leans towards philosophy/art/etc.
Determinism – Indeterminism Whether all things spontaneous or if they are
‘determined’/caused by something else o Question of free will o Ex. Freud – are you doing things spontaneous or b/c
there is some causal thing making you do it? Deterministic (causal)
o Ex. Behavioristic view: are we free to do as we want or is our behavior determined by something?
Empiricism – Rationalism Epistemology, branch of Philosophy, that deals w/ study of
basis for trutho Addresses how we tell true info from false infoo Ex. Earth revolves around Sun – why do you think that
is so? Evidence Observation
Empiricism – basing truth on observation / experienceo Basis for Epistemology
2
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Fallible, because we can be tricked & some machines can observe things we cannot
Rationalism – establishing of belief based on upon reasono Ex. Yetis – why doesn’t Hawkins believe in them?
Hasn’t seen them, despite technology and advanced weaponry
o Ex. Gravity – believed in but not directly experiencedo Ex. Perfection – belief that it exists but won’t experience
it; Ex. Eternityo Science uses rationalism to come up w/ theories that
are held up to be unproven until they are confirmed by experience
Inductivism – Deductivism Inductive – using individual instances to come up w/ truth Deductive – using truth to derive an individual instance
Mechanism – Vitalism To what extent psychological things are physical events Ex. General belief of physical mind as psychological, too
o Ex. Hawkins asked children if they heard themselves (were thinking) and asked them where it was coming from – answered in head
Ex. If mental existence is based on brain function is that all mental existence is? Or is mental existence something that is more or different than physical process?
Ex. The Mind / Body Debate – are mental / physical? Monism – Dualism
Ex. Is subjective inner existence a purely physical process, purely non-physical, or combination of both?
Dualism – belief that both physical & mental existo Ex. body vs. soul (spiritual essence) o Psyche – Greek for “spiritual essence (soul)”, from
which Psychology is named Ancient & most common belief
o Problem: if you accept science, it cannot be believedo Question: How do physical & mental affect one another?
What is the interface btw the two? Psychology has rejected dualism
Monism – belief that either physical or mental existso Mechanistic Monism – popular belief o Psychology is now Monistic & Mechanistic b/c there has
been no successful explanation for how mental realm interacts w/ physical realm
View that eventually mind will be explained by physical laws
3
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Idealistic / Mentalistic Monism – concept that everything we know / experience is a mental process
Only thing we can be sure of is our own subjective experience
Naturalism – Supernaturalism Naturalism – belief that our experiences are something that
occurs in nature Supernaturalism – belief that there is something about
psychological nature of human beings that is transcendent (beyond other natural events)
Psychology staunchly views self as science & has intentionally gravitated towards scientific viewpoints that exclude beliefs like dualism
Greeks Western thought & culture are based upon a Greek footing
o B/c there are beliefs that we share due to changes that we feel are common between us
o Legal, political, & education systems are based on Greek tenants o Credited w/ being founders of science & mathematics b/c they have
historical records of innovations used to try to explain world using observation & reasoning
Socrates (469-399 BC), Plato (427-347 BC), Aristotle (384-322 BC)o Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle o Golden Age Philosophers (500 BC – 300 BC)
Greek culture was at peak intellectually & economically Greek thought becomes derivative after this age Golden Age begins before Socrates & ends after Aristotle
o Thinkers that represented a blending that we consider scientific & theological (philosophical)
Lived in an age before science & philosophy had taken separate paths Mechanistic & Vitalistic natures Socrates Plato Aristotle (more scientific over time)
Evolves to more scientific approach through each o Modern opinions on nature of humans, what ethics involve, government,
sinful behavior, etc.o Firm spiritual beliefs held that weren’t tied to empiricism
Highly relative by culture & time Importance of non-physical, soul-like qualities that are essential to
who we are Some based on polytheistic religion of Greece in their day
Greek Religion: Apollonian vs. Dionysiano Apollonian
Most commonly known now Mythology b/c categorized as myth
Gods were invention of culture
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Were gods relevant to progress of Western thought? Irrelevant b/c gods were not considered to be involved in the
creation of the universe Gods were simply considered the most powerful beings
Emotional distance from ppl that resulted in… No major affect on course of Western thought Followers were free from focus on supernatural reality
Based largely in wealthy areas of Greek empire Cosmopolitan religion believed in by rich mercantile class
Largely localized in coastal areas around Aegean Sea Bottom right place is where ppl are credited w/ the creation of
science through non-spiritual conceptions (modern Turkey) Greek Cosmologists beginners of science
o Ex. Atomic theory generated Apollonian means “ordered, reasonable, calm, sedate, etc.”
o Dionysian Greeks adopted Dionysus from Thrace
Thracian ppl considered barbaric by Greeks Thracians were farmers that focused on horticulture
Dionysus is product of agricultural environment of Thrace God of fertility – crops, etc. Often shown w/ grapes & wine Satyrs – half man, half goats that are insatiable
Worship of Dionysus continued after the collapse of the Greek Empire Entered into Roman religion and was renamed Bacchus
Bacchus worshipers had seasonal festivals called Bacchanals to honor Dionysus during winter solstice, summer solstice, planting, etc.
Carried over into Western culture after the spread of Christianity, especially through processionals
Christmas / Bacchanals Winter solstice (Dec. 21st) often had Bacchanals to beseech
Dionysus for more sunlight, which conveniently coincides w/ Christmas although Christ was not born during that time
Symbols – abundance, wealth, fertility, etc. o Cutting down tree: finding symbol of fertility during
barren period, cutting it down, & adorning ito Adorn trees w/ signs of wealth & opulence o Gift-giving is not a Christian icon
Spring festivals surrounding coming of spring – Easter Easter symbolism is about fertility, not Christianity
Dominant religion that influenced Socrates, Plato, & Aristotle Focus on perfection, pure, supernatural that is beyond us
From Plato and others, this belief system was actively incorporated by the fathers of the Catholic faith
Woman in depiction of context btw Dionysus & Hercules
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
She depicts the strong female influence b/c female fertility and ability to give birth
Ritualistic celebrations intended them to find out what Dionysus wanted from them
In order to find this answer, women had to commune in supernatural world
Maenads (“crazy”) – female followers of Dionysus/Bacchus Maenads would gather in large groups and engage in
ceremonies that centered on abundance & fertility and communed with Bacchus with use of alcohol, orgies, feasting, etc.
o Thracians invented beer Beer was the ritualistic treatment of grain given
by Dionysus that changed the point of view – vision given by spirit of Bacchus
Revision of Dionysian religion that entered philosophy Followers of Orpheus Believed Orpheus he was priest of Dionysus that came from
Thrace into Greece and began to teach a revised form of Bacchic religion that philosophers adopted
Orpheus was duelist that believed we had physical world (body) and spiritual world (separate soul)
The fate of the soul depended on how we behaved in life If lived correctly, the soul, that originated in heaven and was
pure, would be free to rejoin Dionysus and be with him for eternity
Believed the body originates from the earth, was corrupt, and would eventually return to earth
Avoided contaminating body through the eating of meat (physical world) except for on special occasions that were celebrations of Dionysus and meant as a sacrifice
o Also, could not drink alcohol (beer, wine) except for occasions where the wine represented Bacchus’ blood
Thought Dionysus was born twice, the first birth was of a human woman and Zeus. Monsters killed him and Zeus consumed a piece of his body. He was then born again from the thigh of Zeus.
Later Dionysus was connected with restraining oneself and living a pure life at which point Bacchus would enter you and inspire and direct you
Orpheus was believed to have been beaten to death and torn apart by a group of Maenads who did not like his revisions
Pythagoras (582-500 BC)o Often considered a mathematician (Pythagorean theorem)
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Pythagoras considered math as a path to see around corruption to the simple truth of the world
Believed you should live your life in a way that would allow you to turn away from the imperfect and corrupt while turning toward things that are just, perfect, and true
o Influential religious figure Had set of followers that called themselves “Pythagoreans” who
travelled to spread his philosophical system (disciples) Pythagoras was credited with healing the sick, raising the dead, etc.
o Strict system of rules in order to get away from hedonism (satisfying your wants)
Famous for avoiding the eating of beans and any kind of possible corruption or group that would lead you astray
o Focus – truth & purity o Pythagorean Theorem
Credited as first to show phenomenon known of for many years, even by the Egyptians
o Significance – demonstrated intellectual underpinning of that relationship Stated that you could use reason to know that this would occur w/o
working it physically Said you can draw it out yourself, but it will never be perfect b/c
perfection lies beyond the supernatural realm Math was way for Pythagoras to understand supernatural perfection
o Greeks credited w/ advanced mathematicso Pythagoras – reformers of Orphic religiono Socrates was admirer of Pythagoras and he spoke of him a lot
Socrates believed, like Pythagoras, that there are perfect conceptions that you and I can know using rationalism if we turn away from corruption and empiricism found in physical world
o Pythagoras known for saying “All things are numbers” Meant anything we can see in the natural world can be conceptualized
in a pure, mathematical plane Natural world is just representative as a pure truth
Plato once said “God is a geometer” Application: Pythagoras showed that harmony on a stringed
instrument (lyre) is a human experience w/ a mathematic base Numerical foundation to aesthetic experience
o Greeks believed that one achieved their highest intellectual attainment, the event is spiritual that occurred b/c a spiritual force entered you
“Nous” – if entered your body, it would guide you toward a revelation Being driven by spiritual force is something unique to humans Intellectual pleasure is tied to aesthetics Aesthetics considered uniquely human experience
o “Platonic relationship” – relationship that exists only in mind and not physically
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Pleasure isn’t considered debasing Review:
o Theological side of Greek thought that transcended into Western thoughto Theme w/ Pythagoras: Morality – right / wrong of human conduct
Reasoning: ppl can think, so that’s what they can doo Theme of Pythagoras: if expend effort to think, we can uncover perfect truth
Not relative, uncorrupted, and (to Pythagoras) semi-divine o Not representative of the Golden Age b/c Pre-Socratic Period
Marked by birth of Socrates Death of Aristotle Influenced Golden Age thought that there is truth & ethical imperative
to work to reach that truth Socrates (469-399 BC)
o Plato wrote about him a lot, how we know so much about himo Believed in perfect trutho Socratics – men & women that followed his teachings
Well-off individuals who could not work in order to learn o Financially supported by Socratics & their families in later life
Taught where convenient: farms, marketplace, etc.o *Advocated Pythagoras’ notion that things in physical realm are inherently
imperfect & corrupt to some degree, therefore real perfection comes from the use of reasoning and intellectual power
o Protagoras (490-420 BC) often debated w/ Socrates Founder of Sophists movement
Group based on Epistomological theme Believed that truth is relatively defined, so a universal,
absolute truth doesn’t exist “Man is the measure of all things”
If you believe it to be so and can convince others to believe it, then that is truth
Protagoras & Sophists could be hired as teachers Taught practical skills in rhetoric, debate, logical argument Attempted to train ppl to make convincing arguments
Conflict: Socrates believed Sophists and their belief of a relative truth
would lead to decreased morals and the eventual ruin of the state
Socrates believed in absolute rights & wrongs Socrates believed the teaching methods of Pythagoras and
Sophists that it was wrong and dishonesto Sophistry – sounds true/convincing, but it’s incorrect
o Epistemological theme believed that in order to be ethical one ought to follow reasoning
o “Know thyself.” – Socrates Means by self-reflection one should reveal the truths that are inherent
within human beings
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Knowledge is innate Ex. Story of poor slave child that could name Pythagorean
theorem b/c it is absolute truth Process of allowing student of uncovering inherent truths by guiding
their thoughts o By end of his life, Socrates had a substantial following and was advocating
the notion that if you want to live a complete, human life then you should come to know yourself (“know thyself”)
“A lover of truth” – described Socrates o If you don’t want to spend your life coming to know yourself, then you are
going to waste your life Socrates believed this is where human error, strife, & conflict emerges The unexamined life isn’t worth living
o Philosophers are portrayed as most ethical, right, and just Taught this belief to his followers
o Socrates’ execution : Executed via poison: Committed suicide by poison b/c advocating life
to group of ppl that were wealthier and more privileged than the inner circle of the Greek ruling class insulted and enraged others
Asked if it was state should be led better by the best people Implied that Socratics should be leading the Greek state
Commission formed to investigate him and his teachings Socrates treated them with derision
Socrates found guilty of corrupting the youth, an entire generation, and not believing in the gods
o Plato wrote of “The death of Socrates” Set of scene, list of people there, dialogue, action carries “The Phaedo” – describes Socrates’ last day in dialogue
Students (Socratics), including Plato, have bribed the guard and hired a boat to take Socrates away to a safe place
Socrates would not run from his punishment, because he said it’d be dishonorable
Socrates made a joke about everyone having some of the poisoned wine to toast to some god
Socrates calmly drank the poisoned drink and his followers began crying
Socrates shamed them by comparing them to women and saying a man should die in peace
Last words: told follower to take chicken to temple of Asclepius (healing god) and thank him because he was being healed
Plato openly advocated and taught the Socratic way of life Became Platonic point of view, too
Plato (427-347 BC)o “The Academy” (4th Century BC – 6th Century AD):
Plato founded formal place of instruction w/in 2 yrs of Socrates’ death
9
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Became one of world’s dominant intellectual centers Built in Athens
Founded in 4th Century BC Considered 1st university
Closed in 6th Century AD Christian conquest
Had housing and meals for students and staff Designed to teach students a better approach to life in general
o Themes of Teachings : Supernatural, perfect truths that do not exist in physical realm
Everything that exists in the physical world had perfect representations (“Forms”) in the supernatural realm
o Students taught to reach actual truth by becoming connected w/ “formal” truths
o Epistemology Theory of the Divided Line
Begins w/ notion that understanding is not a binary thing Understanding of subject varied in degrees of completeness Hierarchy :
o Imagination lowest understanding Problem: can be divorced from formal truth
Ex. Belief in Yetiso Belief 2nd higher level
Most common form of understanding in general population
Based upon Empiricism Haven’t seen Yetis, so don’t believe
o Thought higher level Advantage – Reason employed
Tools (mathematics, etc.) used Stepping away from common physical reality to
get better view of nature of truth Incomplete b/c still tied to physical reality
o Knowledge highest level of understanding Aka: Intelligence Knowing something is true Formal knowledge – understanding of
underlying principles that direct the operation Rationalistic, super-naturalistic approach
Preserved through Christian doctrine Highly compatible w/ theological p.o.v.
o Easy to take forms and transfer them to Christian concepts
Doesn’t merge well w/ growth of science Theorized about soul, like many Greek philosophers
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Soul believed to make up most of what ppl are like Soul conceived to be something contained w/in body when
alive Soul – Division btw Animate vs. Inanimate
o Anima – Greek word for soul Tripartite types of Soul :
o Appetitive Soul – what pleases us Appetite for hedonistically rewarding to us Achieves goals through use of body & interaction
of body w/ world Dies when body dies, b/c needs use of
body Not something needed to be fostered
o Spirited Soul – competitive nature Found in chest Uses body to win when highly motivated
Dies when body dies Unconcerned w/ bodily pleasure, ethics, etc.
o Rational Soul – avenue to formal truth Located in the head Dualistic: Independent of the body Uses the mind to achieve ends Before birth & after death, rational soul is part of
“forms” Ex. Poor child could recite Pythagorean
theorem b/c rational soul was channeling “forms”
Reincarnation : Fate of rational soul of next incarnation is
impacted by what we do when we have it Ex. If gluttonous, rational soul will be
reincarnated into pig Ex. If noble, rational soul may be
reincarnated into bird, etc. Nonexistence when close to forms
Reminiscence theory of learning Recovering memory that one already knows
Believed you could do what you want in life, but it was most noble to use life to attempt to facilitate growth of rational soul
Free will Charioteer should use life to attempt to become better at
taming horses; develop rational soul to maximize channeling of motivations of spirited soul and appetitive soul
o POV heavily focused on supernatural world
11
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
View of nature of humans and their psychological makeup are part of psychology now
o Plato’s The Republic Ideal Form of Culture – heavily based on Plato’s notion of what
fundamental human nature and psychology is Dialogue in which Plato lays on the role of the state in regard to
human beings and the role of humans in regard to the support of the state
Notion best form of gov’t is the one that’s mutually beneficial; benefits ppl and ppl can support
Representational form of gov’t Ruling class of gov’t would consider welfare of the citizens at
all times Primary guidelines of the state would be to consider the mode of
citizenry (what ppl want) Defined by the nature of the person’s soul
o If Appetitive soul is dominant in citizen, the citizen could be well served by the state and could serve the state by working as a laborer
o Those w/ strong spirited soul should be taken in and educated by the state in order for them to be competitive in their chosen field
Philosopher Kings – ruling class Allegory – brief depiction of Plato’s meaning of life view
The Cave analogy o Idea that all people are born inside of a cave where at
first we are unable to see lighto We can only see shadows and reflections upon the
walls, making us believe that this is reality Idea that level of understanding is derived by
empiricism (seeing is believing) o Inevitably, some individuals discover that the shadows
are representational products of the light striking objects
o The enlightened individuals start the process of bettering themselves and eventually escaping from the cave
They uncover formal truth and now have true knowledge
o At first, people exposed to new light appear to be less competent than before
Fumbling around b/c cannot see in bright lighto With increased exposure the philosophers will gain
clarity that those in the dark will never have
12
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Eventually they’ll become interested into descending into the dark cave in order to help others out
Shorthand description of what the primary motivation of humans ought to be
Taught Aristotle at The Academyo Plato – Dualistic POV
Physical world separate from spiritual world Left – reaching towards heavens to symbolize interest in supernatural
o Aristotle – more materialistic and empirical (‘scientific’) Right – pointing forward to symbolize interest in natural world
(scientific) more than supernatural
o
Aristotle (384-322 BC) Father worked in Macedonian court until his death, then Aristotle left for Athens One of Plato’s best students at The Academy
o 20 years there until Plato’s death After Plato’s death, Aristotle left The Academy in Athens to go toward the eastern
side of the empireo Lived abroad for 12 years, gained fame, and had a family
Different POV after travelso Exposure to intellectuals interested in the natural world
Studied natural world through collection and study of physical objects Returned to court of Macedonia and tutored Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)
o Deaths of Aristotle and Alexander were w/in months, historians use time to symbolize the death of intellectual superiority
Lyceum – school established by Aristotle in Athens near Academyo Operated for hundreds of years until 6th century ADo Expected students to investigate the physical world
Interested in changes in natural worldo Different b/c Plato wanted to find ultimate essence of formal truth
Unchanging, perfect representations of everything Static (unchanging) POV
13
PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Aristotle was interested in changes in natural world and why they shifted Didn’t reject formal truth, but more concerned w/ physical realm
Interested in material realityo Rejected by Platoo Aristotle said studying representations of formal truth would help one come
to know formal truth Inductive truth – use senses to study examples
On the Soul aka De Anima (latin) – 1st comprehensive psychology textbook by A.o Personality types – described them in booko States of consciousness & alterations of them
Head trauma, intoxication, dreaming, hallucinations, etc. o Basis of memory and learningo Sensory systems o 1 st History of psychology
Chapter 1: discussed historical account of what soul was considered Examples of theories:
o Learning Aristotle: knowledge needs to be acquired, mostly by experiencing
things Info is taken in through the senses
Plato: knowledge is innate, so must get close to formal truths Tabula Rasa – British empirical POV after Aristotle
o Associations What we experience in environment brings up collection of info from
within mind o Experiences
Frequently repeated experiences are more likely to be remembered than singular events
Similar experiences bring up other familiar experiences Opposing experiences illuminate one another by describing the
differences (what one is, the other is not)o Pattern experiment
Took words from Homer, scrambled onto paper, tried to remember words, and found that words in small range could be recited easily
o Emotion on memory Powerful emotions = detailed memories
Ex. 9/11 memories; Kennedy’s assassination o Nature & causes of change
If change is investigated and seen to be happening in predictable pattern, can help us understanding fundamental laws
Epistemologyo Empirical = Aristotle
Learn through experience / observation Associationism – content in memories are linked based on how we
experience things in life
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Deterministic – cause for everything o Theory of Causation –
Ex. If have sculpture in front of you, ask questions (Why is it there? Why does it look like that?) Sculpture is there b/c it was created by someone
Efficient Cause – agent that modifies matter and changes it into a different form
Formal Cause – essence along w/ physical form Ex. sculptures of same person differ b/c they represent
different formal conceptions / outer shape differso Essence / physical
Material Cause – must have matter Realization that must have pertinent matter / material to have
something Final Cause – serves a purpose / has a function
Belief that things exist b/c they fulfill a purpose 2 conceptions :
o Teleology – branch of philosophy that deals w/ the existence of purpose & natural events
Belief that anything that happens is satisfying some goal / purpose
Ex. Kids – asks why mosquitos exist? – Purpose? Ex. Sculpture – serves as decoration, etc. Science rejects teleology b/c may infer some
reason for existence that you cannot confirm w/ data
o Things change / are the way they are b/c of an underlying force causes things to propel along a predictable path
Ex. evolution, science, genetic code, etc. Ex. Acorns become oak b/c driven by genetic
forceo Logician – Aristotle founded logic in field of philosophy
Logical fallacy Fallacy of Infinite Regress
Believed everything we can name has an antecedent / causeo If so, no termination
Ex. chicken vs. egg? Inconsistent to say everything has a cause b/c, if # is infinite,
cannot quantify ‘everything’ Unmoved Mover – “the good”; beginning
o Something causal that was not caused o Goal: Believed things moved along path towards
unmoved mover (completion)
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Force: underlying power that moves things along on continuum
Natural Scale o Things are purely potential along scale until things
close to completion (unmoved mover)o 3 Kinds of Soul on Natural Scale
Every living thing has 1 soul, but they fall on different scale of complexity
Soul is causal – dead if soul is gone Nutritive Soul – gives plants limited # of abilities
Abilities: nutrition & reproduction o No pleasure, pain, reasoning
Sensitive Soul – animal soul that includes sensation Contains abilities of nutritive soul (nutrition & reproductive) Abilities: learning, memory, experience pleasure & pain,
voluntary control of behavior o Hedonistic motivation – go to pleasure, avoid pain
Rational Soul – soul found in humans Contains abilities of nutritive and sensitive souls Abilities: free will, ability to reason Considered one of primary causal agents w/in us
Causal Soul
o Formal Causeo Efficient Causeo Final Cause
Bodyo Material Cause
Q: would person be the way they are w/o soul?o No
Q: was Aristotle a dualist?o No, must have both matter & form to have a person
Summary of Greek Erao Strong central gov’t and Enlightened culture during end of Golden Age (600-
300 BC)o Trend of Greek state: Greece grew and became more influential
Under Alexander, became enormously large which resulted in… Vast number of ppl being subjugated = explosive situation Difficult to maintain & support geographically large empire
o Death of Aristotle / Alexander = end of Greek Enlightened areao Transition to Roman rule – adopted Greek thought, medicine, art, etc.
Classical Greek thought: Socrates, Plato, Aristotleo Romans talented, but strengths not in realm of philosophy
Advances in political structure, infrastructure, architecture, etc.
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o Intellectual history is mainly tied to Greeks, not Romano “Greeks were great thinkers, Romans were great doers.”
Roman Era (300 BC – 500 AD)
Middle Ages (500 – 1400 AD) – for West Medieval period characterized by power groups fighting to establish localized areas
of control (principalities, kingdoms) Psychological shift that coincided w/ economic shift
o Regressive Ave ppl illiterate, lived in location they were born – very little travel,
not encouraged to better themselves (seek truth) Less noble era – humans considered insignificant Reverence for authority
Dark Ages (first half)o Domination of Catholic Church
High Middle Ages (second half)o Things for average man began to improve
Predetermination of man’s life (no reason to aspire, b/c where meant to be), superstition (angels, demons, witches, etc.)
Dark Ages Catholic Church – unifying force
o Own power – wealth, armies, political prestige o Placed itself above temporal concerns (wars, etc.)o POV of church: Here to save person’s soul from eternal damnation; not here
to encourage to seek own truth or to help person to develop their own thoughts about the best life
Freedom of thought not encouragedo Faith – ppl must have absolute belief in authority and doctrine of churcho Lead to Dark Ages
Muslim Cultureso Boom in intellectual attainment – advancement of science / astronomy /
medicine, opening of schoolso Built on advancements of classic Greek thought
High Middle Ageso Dominant power of principalities and kingdomso Mercantile class became intellectual force that fostered the development of
education Ppl became more independent and less reliant on authority figures
o Major universities established in cathedral towns University of Paris, University of Prague, etc. Emerged in these centers b/c during Middle Ages only literate group
was clerical group – ppl wanted children taught by themo Crusades began (11th C)
Raids on Muslim culture, pillaged, brought back writings of Greeks Rediscovery of intellectual advances produced in East (Muslim states)
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Chapter 2:Renaissance (1450 – 1632)
Corruption w/in Catholic Church led to gradual loss of power over the pplo Controlled immense amount of wealtho Ppl questioned moral authority of church & began to think for themselves
Began during Gutenberg’s invention – printing press Johannes Gutenberg (1400-1468)
o Invented printing press in West Books able to be made in large amts for less money
o Mass printed bible in German (common lang) – revolutionary idea Another independent step for ppl away from authority
Dialog Concerning Two Chief World Systems by Galileo – end of Renaissance o Considered to be 1st work of Modern Age o Deals w/ view of universe held by church versus beliefs of Copernicus
Church: Earth is center of universe that everything orbits around Copernicus: Sun is center of universe that everything orbits
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Renaissance Humanism – Psychological view that humans aren’t insignificant, b/c
they’re created in image of God and are therefore nobleo Apparent in art of age – ppl more detailed, happier, taller
Pope Alexander VI (1492)o From rich family called the Borgias – bribed to get him electedo Corrupt and sinful (several mistresses)
Offspring, 2 important: Cesare Borgia : coldblooded military leader & prince
o Model for Machiavelli’s The Prince Lucretia Borgia : scholar of poisons & sexual perversions
o Served as hostess for Vatican events Poisoned animals, rumored some servants;
foreign troops committed sexual acts for entertainment
o Incest: became pregnant and her father, Alexander, and brother, Cesare, both argued they were the father of her child
Alexander ordered papal declaration stating he was father of daughter’s child
o Ppl turned away from notion that authority figures were just & right Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)
o Directly speak to God in order to understand God’s will and intent o ‘Protested’ Catholic faith and formed Protestant movement
Attacked ‘Indulgences’ paying to be free of sin, etc. Resulted in priests of village to being kicked out for taking advantage
of parishioners Science 2 Books from 1543:
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
o De Humani Corporis Fabrica ( Fabric of Human Body) Andreas Vesalius (1514 – 1564)
Italian Anatomist 1st book based on direct observation since Roman age
Did own dissections – in violation of Church doctrine Galen was Church’s sanctioned anatomist; knowledge was
heavily controlled o De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (Revolutions of Celestial Orbs)
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543) Astronomer provided w/ great instruments from patron
Sun is center of universe & planets orbit it Against sanctioned astronomy of Earth
Was put under house arrest and died shortly after Later on was posthumously excommunicated & work banned Reinstated to church in 1981
Transitional Movement from Renaissance Modern Age Based on writings of Aristotle
o Remember Aristotle was into natural world, materialism, observationo Problem w/ Aristotle was difficult to incorporate into doctrinal thought b/c
exalted use of intellect and examination of intellectual world, which lead away from spirituality
Scholasticism o St. Thomas Aquinas o Can study God’s creations to understand God and spirituality o Doctrine of One Truth
Truth is a singular thing that one can come to by absolute faith in teachings of church or by use of intellect
o Arose in church when group of thinkers came to epistemological conclusions Cautious rationalism where began w/ what you knew to be truth
(doctrinal belief) and through careful thought and examination came to same conclusions
Sir Francis Bacon – Criticized Scholasticismo POV that is Precursor to Modern Science
In order to get to truth, one should not have a preconception / bias Must be neutral
Get to truth by using observation Use evidence around us to develop theories
Advocated identifying preconceptions and weeding them out o “Idols” = preconceptions
Prevent person from being able to see truth
Modern Age (1633 –
Exam Thursday:
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PSYC 4008 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY EXAM 1 NOTES
Example Questions:o During Middle Ages, a search for truth was based on a reliance on…
Empirical observation Faith* Induction Authority figures* More than one of the above*
o The movement of Scholasticism involved the incorporation of the philosophy of the Greek thinker ________ into church doctrine
Aristotle*o The father of doctrinal thought who is considered to be the medieval
beginner of Scholasticism Bacon Copernicus Galileo Galen None of the above* (Thomas Aquinas)
o A revolutionary work on neuroanatomy was published at the end of the Renaissance; the title of this work was __________________.
De Humani Corporis Fabricao De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium was published in the ______________
period by ________________. Renaissance; Copernicus
Exam:o Names of ppl
Not DOB or DODo Major published workso Theoretical conceptions o Periods ppl were in
Gold Age ppl
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