PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Hermann Von Helmholtz, Luigi Galvani, Paul Broca
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To pursue something scientifically, one must first assume that the behaviour of that thing conforms to some sort of natural laws, laws that can eventually be understood specified, and used to predict future behaviour. (cid:862) ouls(cid:863) a(cid:396)e spi(cid:396)itual e(cid:374)tities a(cid:374)d, as su(cid:272)h, the(cid:455) do not (cid:272)o(cid:374)fo(cid:396)(cid:373) to (cid:374)atu(cid:396)al la(cid:449)s gi(cid:448)e(cid:374) this, trying to understand them via a scientific process is pure folly. Magi(cid:272), falli(cid:374)g ro(cid:272)ks, vol(cid:272)a(cid:374)o bou(cid:374)d vi(cid:396)gi(cid:374)s a(cid:374)d a (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)ept (cid:272)alled a(cid:374)i(cid:373)is(cid:373) Rene descartes (1596-1650: cartesian dualism: a machine, controlled by a soul. John locke (1632-1704: mind is machine, tabula rasa, empiricism. Johannes muller (1801-1858: doctrine of specific nerve energies. Paul broca (1824-1880: localization of language. A(cid:374)d so the stage is set for a(cid:272)t ii. If human behaviour is at least partly, if not totall(cid:455), dete(cid:396)(cid:373)i(cid:374)ed (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:374)atu(cid:396)al la(cid:449)s the(cid:374) it should be possible to study it scientifically. But by the mid-1800s, nobody was doing that yet. Hermann von helmholtz (1821-1894: measuring speed of neural impulses.
