PSYC 308 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Essentialism, Evelyn Fox Keller, Herbert Butterfield

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 308
• Professor: Timothy Racine

Document Summary

Historiography: history of history, how historians have written history. Edwin g. boring (1886-1968: most influential psyc historian, focus: growth of scientific, experimental psyc since 18th c. Progressive vs cyclical (frank manuel historian) More of a spiral progressive and cyclical. Ideas recur at progressively higher levels: modern thinkers: have more time and have more sources/choices. Traditional history: scientists are objective, neutral fact finders; science is progressive from error to truth. New history: scientists operate subjectively, under influence of extra-scientific factors; science shifts from one world view to another linked to theoretical commitments and metaphysical considerations. 20th c: recognized the role of theoretical frameworks in interpreting data. Argued subjective aspects of science: thomas kuhn: the structure of scientific revolutions. Development of sciences not smooth discontinuous. Consensus, then radical upheavals old paradigm fades, new paradigm emerges (e. g. darwin: paradigm: set of fundamental beliefs guiding workers in. Paradigm shapes view of world scientific discipline. Paradigm clashes: e. g. bird/antelope different interpretations, equally consistent w/ data.