The Development Of Psychology As A Scientific Discipline Philosophy Essay

The Development Of Psychology As A Scientific Discipline Philosophy Essay One of the most notable figure in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline is RenÄâ€Å" Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician. Descartes was most recognized as a proponent of dualism which supported the idea that all reality can be divided into two vivid and distinct entities: mind and matter. Descartes distinguished himself from other philosophers in that he proposed an existing link or interaction between mind and matter called interactionism. This was the key development in psychology as a scientific discipline because it led to two key principles in psychology introspectionism and behaviourism. Despite Descartes emphasis on the rationalism which is the pursuit of truth through the process of reasoning, John Locke, the British first empiricist, suggested that empiricism which involves the pursuit of truth through observation and experience is the preferred method of investigation. Being the pioneer to define self through a continuity of consciousness, Locke postulated that the mind was a blank slate of tabula rasa. Contrary to Descarts cartesian philosophy, he believed that we were born without innate idea and that the knowledge is instead measured only by experience derived from various sense perceptions. Yet, some of the information attained from our senses is subjective and non-trustworthy while some are objective and trustworthy. He put great emphasis upon the belief that our knowledge of complex experiences were made up from the links between simple and primary sensations. This idea was further developed by David Hume, a Scottish philosopher, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and scepticism. Yet, there was a slight difference from Lockes argument. While Locke wrote of innate ideas, Hume introduced the concept of perceptions which consisted of impressions and ideas and strove to develop a total naturalistic science of man that examined the human nature on a psychological basis. To Hume, impressions were the most important perceptions because they were derived directly from observations. He strongly believed that only empirically derived content are valuable and trustworthy. Thus, he developed positivism the philosophy of science rooted on the view that data derived from sensory experience and that logical and mathematical analysis of such data produce all authoritative knowledge. In contrast to the empiricists, George Berkely, an Anglo-Irish philosopher proposed that our knowledge comes from the inferences derived from experience through our senses instead of simply coming from direct experiences. His notable achievement of the advancement of the theory called immaterialism or subjective idealism which denies the existence of material substance. In contrast, this theory contends that objects are only ideas in the perceivers minds hence cannot exist without being perceived. A Scottish philosopher, Kames Mill then further developed on the idea and moved the focus from animism to materialism which is a belief that truth can be founded only after a thorough understanding of our physical world. The assumption that Mill insisted was that humans and animals were basically the same that both were entirely physical in their outer look and were totally subjected to the physical laws of the universe. Though agreed in essence with Descartes primary approach in understanding the human body, Mill was against the concept of an immaterial mind. Later on in the mid-1800s, a German physiologist, Wilhelm Wundt, used scientific research methods to investigate reaction times and his book, Principles of Physiological Psychology illustrated many of the main connections between the science of physiology and the study of humans thought and behaviour. The opening of the worlds first psychology lab at the University of Leipzig in 1879 marked the official beginning of psychology as a distinct scientific discipline. Wundt maintained that psychology is a study of humans consciousness and intended to apply as many experimental methods as possible to investigating and understanding internal mental processes. Though his use of introspection is seen as a non-trustable and non-scientific method today, his early work during the days helped to kick-start a stage for future experimental methods and hence was significant in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline. One of the Wundts most famous student, Edward B.Titchener went on to develop amd found psychologys first major school of thought and proposed the idea that human consciousness can be broken down into smaller parts via introspection. He was one of the most prominent structuralist. While structuralism was notable for its emphasis on science research, its methods were less convincing, unreliable, limiting and subjective. The concept essentially died when Titchener passed away in 1927. In response to structuralism, functionalism, an American perspective which was largely influenced by the work of William James and the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin emerged. Functionalists sought for explanation for the mental processes in much systematic and accurate way. Instead of focussing on the elements of consciousness, they focussed on its purpose. This brings psychology a step closer to scientific discipline by placing great emphasis on systematic research method. In early 20th Century, another major school of thought known as behaviourism rose to dominance. It was a significant change from the past theoretical views. In fact, it was aimed to transform psychology into a much scientific discipline by solely emphasising on observable behaviour. It was started by Ivan Pavlov and two of the strongest advocates were John B.Watson and B.F. Skinner. However, behaviourism does not encourage scientific psychology. Among all, the concept of empiricism developed by philosophers John Locke and David Hume was the most significant leap in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline.

Capitalist Society in The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay ex

Capitalist Society in The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller "Death of a salesman" is a "tragedy of a common man". Throughout the play the reader sees how Willy Loman struggles to achieve something, which is beyond his capability. He has a dream, the American dream of success and accomplishment. And yet, he is not able to ever thrive because his idea of how to succeed is wrong. The times have changed, the play is set in the period of an economic boom and increasing desire for material goods in America and the Loman family is now living in a capitalist society, however, Willy seems not to have realised that things have changed. He is constantly battling between the present and the past, the reality and a dream. The play is about a conflict between a man and his society, it's a "hanging fire" between suicide and intolerably changing world. To begin with, however, it is important to identify what is meant by the term "capitalist system". Capitalist system is a type of an economy where the owners of the businesses retain all the profits for themselves. This type of a system encourages people to want more, as they hold total responsibility of how much they earn. The importance of the employer and employee relationship increases, as the workers are judged by the quality of the work they are putting into the company. It becomes a tough competition between the staff to survive and keep their jobs. There is now a need to impress on the employer with the effort and work you put into his firm and consequently climb up the ladder of success. The relationship between Howard and Willy in the play is very ambiguous. Howard on one hand is running... ... physically and mentally. He desperately tries to integrate, but he was left behind the modern world. Unable to control his senses of past and present, mixing and confusing the two, Willy fails to see the flawed nature of the system he functions in. He follows wrong dreams and ideas, which are mainly imposed upon him by the society, only to prove himself; nonetheless he is "crushed" by the unjust, competitive culture. And in addition, his personal failures add to the self-perceived wasted life of a "common man". 1. C.W.E. Bigsby: "A critical introduction to Twentieth-century American Drama"; Volume One 1900-1940 2. York Notes Advanced: "Death of a salesman, Arthur Miller"; editor: Adrian Page, 1998 3. Stratford-upon-Avon Studies: "American Theatre"; general editors: John Russel Brown, Bernard Harris, 1967

Claude Cahun: Boy & Girl Together

Claude Cahun: Boy & Girl Together For this discussion I found an interest in the gender bending â€Å"self-portraiture† of Claude Cahun. An added interest I later found about Cahun and her work came after googling her name; I found some articles about feminism in art that not only speak about Cahun and her feminist work, but also about Cindy Sherman’s art as well (Imagine that to my surprise).Cahun was one of first the 20th century (female) artists to dress herself up in an array of gender bending disguises and photographed herself in the name of art, from the time she was 16 with the collaborative assistance of her life partner (and step sister), Marcel Moore. Cahun had preferred to present herself as both object and subject for her own sexual fascinations, rather than a passive object (Claude Cahun, Self-Portrait, 1928, The Guerilla Girls’ Beside Companion to the History of Western Art, page 62) o be consumed by the â€Å"male gaze. † Claude’s wor k was scandalous to everyone including the homophobic, surrealist men she hung out with, as she paved her own path towards liberation; could Cahun and Moore have been the first two Guerilla Girls’ of the 20th century? Yes, I do feel that woman’s artwork is read in a gender-based way, while men’s is mainly looked at in terms of its content and statement. Claude Cahun’s artwork is looked at as scandalous and pornographic; the surrealists wrote her out of their history.On the contrary the surrealists could appreciate that of Rrose Selavy, the avant-garde alter ego of Marcel Duchamp; a male artist disguised as a woman for art’s sake. Claude Cahun’s gender most definitely comes into play when interpreting and studying her work, as well as her sexual identity. Cahun disrupts restrictive ideas about gender, social prescriptions and femininity. The fact that has surprised me throughout the study of art history is that only the art of white, European affiliated men held any merit. Meaning, the art itself was not looked at by what it was or how well it was created, but y who created it as to whether it was to be consider museum worthy or not. â€Å"What do women want? They want the human to be neither man nor woman. † – Jean-Francois Lyotard (The Guerilla Girls’ Beside Companion to the History of Western Art, page 59) I found this to be supportive of how artwork should be studied, interpreted and of its success of not. The art should be the topic and the content and message be heard over the fact of whether it is created by a man, a woman or someone in-between. References: * The Guerrilla Girls' bedside companion to the history of Western art. New York: Penguin Books, 1998. Print. page 62-63. * â€Å"Claude Cahun. Guerrillagirlsbroadband. N. p. , n. d. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. http://ggbb. org/meet-the-broads/claude-cahun/. Claude Cahun – radical, Jewish, lesbian, writer, resistance fighter, political activ ist, Surrealist, photographer strangely prescient in their concern with sexual politics and gender identity. Her self-portraits represent such a diverse range of sexual selves Although Cahun did not become closely associated with Andre Breton’s Surrealists util the early 1930s, she later declared herself to have â€Å"always been a surrealiste†. The Surrealists organized in response to the rise of Hitler and the spread of fascism in France.Her political commitment extended throughout her life, and though she might best be described as a libertarian anarchist, her politics had an explicitly feminist subtext In examining issues of female self-identity and subjectivity, before they were really formulated as such, Cahun was moving toward her own liberation. Jersey was occupied by the Germans during World War II, and the two women mounted resistance activities such as writing and distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. Cahun was nearly executed for this act, but was given a reprie ve at the last minute.German soldiers moved into Cahun and Moore’s home, destroying much of their art work, including original photographs, photo-plates and negatives. The two women were subsequently incarcerated. The ignorance about Cahun is such that there are source books on Surrealism that refer to her as a man. Cahun’s boyish image was, in fact, shocking in the context of mainstream French Surrealism. The male Surrealists not only advocated heterosexuality, but tended to be homophobic. Claude was a lesbian, A Jew, and a Marxist, three no-nos to the Nazis, who invaded France in 1940.

Motivation in the Workforce

Motivation in the Workforce The main question facing managers in an organization is motivation, how does it work, when to apply and to whom they should apply on. In today's organization, motivation plays an important role in determining whether a company will succeed or not. What is motivation? Motivation is the set of attitudes and values that predispose a person to act in a specific goal directed manner. It is an invisible inner state that energizes the human goal-directed behavior, which can be divided into two components which is the direction of a behavior working to reach a goal and the strength of the behavior. Within an organization the desired goals are often clearly defined. In motivation a manager normally seeks to change or maintain certain environmental factors so as to influence the inner drives which may change or sustain the behaviors of his subordinates.Motivation is different things to different people. It does not need to be a 'thing' that you do.English: Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs I tali...And if you see it as a culture rather than, 'We're doing Motivation today', it becomes a whole lot easier. In today's business environment, managers must employ an organizational culture, where motivation is the key to their mission as leaders.When studying motivation, the classic motivational theories of McGregor, Herzberg, and Maslow must not be forgotten, since they gives us a model to follow, that can be used in any situation. Either in the workplace or in our personal lives. For example, McGregor characterized people into two groups, labeled X and Y. Herzberg identified a two-factor theory regarding the motivation of employees. The motivation factors, when present, tend to create satisfaction or motivation in the minds of employees. The hygiene factors, when absent or perceived as inadequate, can create dissatisfied employees; yet, when present, do not add to satisfaction or...

The Battle of Passchendaele essays

The Battle of Passchendaele essays WW1 - The Battle of Passchendaele: ISU Some politicians, soldiers, and military historians say that the battle of Passchendaele was "the most futile of battles and the most horrendous of slaughters" (Dancocks Inside Front Cover). Others, such as Norm Christie remark that "Passchendaele was a huge achievement" (Back Cover). The battle of Passchendaele lasted a grueling four months in the year of 1917. Two-hundred-fifty-thousand soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing; Sixteen-thousand of which were Canadians. Canada contributed a great deal to this battle including: wepons and machinery which assisted the troops in fighting; the Canadian Corps who are the soldiers, engineers, ect.; and major players who stand out by doing something extraordinary. What Canada contributed not only made the war a success but proved our loyalty to Britain. The weapons and machinery that Canada contributed included guns, artillery, and tanks. Under normal circumstances, 320 guns would be available. These were not normal circumstances, the conditions in Passchendaele called for more firearms. In this case 587 guns were deployed. Canada contributed more guns then they usually would, therefore giving a great deal of help to our allies in achieving victory at Passchendaele. Artillery was the most used and most effective of weapons in world war 1. Holman says that the artillery was used to "defend against attack, bombard enemy trenches from fixed positions, and protect soldiers as they advanced toward enemy trenches" (Article 4). Canada did not develop the weapons, but their understanding of how to use the weapons was key. "Through fabrication, development, and use at the front, the Canadian artillery played a vital role in the outcome of the first world war" (Holman Article 4). Canadas contribution, in this case, was the experti se on how to use the artillery. One-hundred-seventeen tanks were donated by Canada. The "male" tank was...

Terrorism Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Terrorism - Case Study Example Player et al. provide a more broad-based definition, saying that terrorism is â€Å"undertaken to influence a government for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause. Such act shall be certified as an "Act of Terrorism† (Player et al, 2002). However, this stance denies that there may be other causes for terrorism (or, in the case of anarchists, no cause at all). Personally, I would propose that Player et al.’s definition is acceptable, if it is amended to include more purposes. Terrorism is an abstract notion to begin with, a non-concrete and non-specific term that expands through the interpretations of various people with differing ideas of adding concreteness to the word. In other words, one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter. It is not a simple matter of translation when the word to be defined is something like terrorism. There are many perspectives to consider morally, politically, and in terms of point of view. â€Å"Some stress the psychological flaws of terrorist, flaws that attract them to a life of violence. Others argue that terrorists are relatively free of psychiatric problems and become involved in terrorism because they perceive they have no other option for survival† (Cleveland, 2004). Paterson and Brown define a just war as one which is not aggressive or preemptive, and, particularly in Brown, the author advocates the use of mediation rather than force in international affairs. The authors call for a re conceptualization of just war. noting that one must consider the use and impact of force in an international situation as a crisis reaction, and highlighting the dynamism and flux of the current world environment, in which force should be the last resort, not the first (Brown and Glass, 2004). I agree that a re conceptualization of just war is necessary, especially after the Iraq war. The US did not have any certifiable and truthful

Using Marx's concepts and methodology, analyze a specific news story, Essay

Using Marx's concepts and methodology, analyze a specific news story, feature article, column, editorial, cartoon, advertisement, video, etc. published since January 1, 2014 - Essay Example According to unofficial but reliable information, the Argentines are currently faced with a nearly 30% increase in prices from 2013. It is however, estimated that things will move from worse to worst with a further projection to 45% in this year and further 56% in Venezuela occur. Interestingly it has also been noted that women have been taking their men to court as a way of seeking for alimony payments due to the tough economic times. Moreover, the informal sector has not been left behind from this wind as it is reported that even the extortion racket has doubled its fee of its so called protection over the past year. The president of the central bank in this country also confirms the case of rising inflation as he reported a 25% increase in monetary supply in 2013 alone which aimed at cushioning the government’s budget deficit. From the above sentiments it is possible to connect some of the Marx’s theories. For example, it is evident that human society is progressing through class struggle as a conflict between an ownership classes that controls the production is existing with those poor citizens who provide labor for production. It is no wonder Butros Sandra a 50 years old businesswoman running a market stall says, â€Å"they are toasting Champagne while the people become divided†. According to Marx, the bourgeoisie who are wealthy control the wealth at their own benefit and this would definitely lead to tensions something that is already eminent. This idea is further supported by Tucker-Marx-Engel reader (Karl Marx Friedrich Engels Robert C. Tucker pg 78). This is also the central argument proposed in this article and theorists Marx, Engel and Tucker. From the case study we are made aware of Venezuela which is already suffering from social unrest. According to Marx these are the tensions that accrue when a few wealthy personalities control the economy. To support this