PSY 4130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Cogito Ergo Sum, Comparative Psychology, Behaviorism
5 Mar 2016
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Important concepts: introspection, plato vs. aristotle, scholasticism, skepticism. Essences, truths in forms that exist independent of nature, known only by using introspection (rationalism) Rationalism: use brain to think about own subjective experience. Essences could be known only by studying nature thru individuals observation of phenomena (empiricism) Empiricism: object of rational thought was info from sensory experience. Teleology: everything has a function (entelechy) built into it. Showing what implications that synthesis had for living one"s life. Proposed arguments for/against philosophical doctrine are equally compelling. Tendency to go back to more open minded method of inquiry characterized by early greek philosophy. Decline in church authority began when questioning of truth"s began, escalated rapidly. Individualism: belief in potential of individual: belief in power of individual to make positive difference in world create spirit of optimism, personal religion: insistence that religion be more personal and less institutionalized, less formal. Intense interest in past (greek + roman works) the original works.
