An Brief Philosophical
History of Scientific Psychology
Plato
(427-347 B.C.)
- Theory of forms: Universal patterns of thought and personal characteristics.
Based upon mathematics and music (Pythagoras).
-Hierarchy of forms where
more real is more abstract - universal Good.
-These ideas provide a foundation
to natural science where it searches the universal truths of nature.
Aristotle
(384-322 B.C.) on Knowledge
- Did not always mistrust
the senses as a source of knowledge
- Favoured empiricism in that he collected "data" (e.g., biological specimens) Still, there was
a strong "rationalist" element in his approach to knowledge: - propositions
which he believed to be true were based more on reasoning than of
the observation of facts.
Deductive
Logic.
- Showed how to proceed
in disciplined reasoning, or drawing conclusions correctly, such that these
conclusions must be true if the premises are true.
E.g.,
All men are mortal - (Major
Premise) |
Socrates is a man - (Minor
Premise) } syllogism
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
|
Note: In deductive
reasoning, one begins with a universal generalization, and proceeds to
validate a particular instance.
- Contrast with Inductive
reasoning
Francis Bacon (1561-1626):
Novum Organum
- Provided new perspective
on knowledge:
- Knowledge of what, what
for, and how?
- Seek knowledge of works,
not words
- (Read the book of Nature)
- Knowledge for Human Enlightenment
and Power
- Experimenta lucifera: seek "light"
- Experimenta fruictifera: seek "fruit",
(Note: pure vs applied distinction)
- Seek knowledge to command
Nature into action, rather than to overcome an opponent in argument Knowledge
for gaining power over Nature, to improve the "estate of man [sic]"on earth
New
Methods for Science
- How should we seek knowledge?
- start from observation
of particulars and proceed to the general (Form)
- follow the Inductive
method
- Criticism of Aristotelian
Deductive method:
- In proceeding from general
propositions to particulars, the entire superstructure may fall if based
on faulty generalization(s)
- Proposed science as continuing,
organized, cooperative, publicly funded accumulation of facts for the well-being
of humanity
- Identified various types
of errors and faulty presuppositions which he called the "Idols"
John Locke (1643-1704)
Empiricism: a theory
of knowledge that it is through the senses that knowledge is acquired and
also its method of verification.
Tabula Rasa: Theory
of knowledge (part of empiricism) that we are born like blank slates or
empty vessels to be written upon or filled by experience.
Hume
took empiricism to an extreme reducing the power of science to habit
Immanual Kant (1724-1804)
Rationalism: a theory
of knowledge that states that knowledge comes from the correct use of reason,
reasoning is also the method of the verification of knowledge.
He suggested the Categories
of knowledge of experience exist a priori to enable us to have
any experience. We have something like innate ideas, or rather processes
and templates that enable use to know the world. E.g., one, many = totality
/ Dialectics
Kant
attempted to return science to power by having empiricism with a rational
foundation.
