Myers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 1 Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

Discussion #1 zPre-scientific Psychology: before the days of modern science, what did people think and write about the central questions of Psychology? yEach table group should “Add a new Discussion Topic” yEach student should Reply to this Topic to post their notes during the lecture and discussion

Psychology’s Roots Prescientific Psychology  Ancient Greek philosophers  Socrates -> Plato -> Aristotle  Is the mind connected to the body or distinct?  Socrates and Plato: separate  Aristotle: not separable  Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience?  Socrates and Plato: innate  Aristotle: at birth the mind is like a clean tablet, upon which nothing is written

Rene Descarte zBorn 1596 in France zEarned a law degree to please his father (a High Court judge) zDuring a war he became a soldier, and traveled extensively z“I entirely abandoned the study of letters. Resolving to seek no knowledge other than that of which could be found in myself or else in the great book of the world, I spent the rest of my youth travelling, visiting courts and armies, mixing with people of diverse temperaments and ranks, gathering various experiences, testing myself in the situations which fortune offered me, and at all times reflecting upon whatever came my way so as to derive some profit from it.” zAt age 33, became a professor at a Dutch university

Rene Descarte zThe Father of Modern Philosophy z“I think, therefore I am” (Cogito, ergo sum) zThe “Wax Argument” yall of the sensory information is changed by the flame yIn order to properly grasp the nature of wax, we cannot depend on our senses, but only on our mind yDescartes: “Thus what I thought I had seen with my eyes, I actually grasped solely with the faculty of judgment, which is in my mind.” zThe body is like a machine, a material thing zThe mind is immaterial, and separate from the body (Dualism)

Rene Descartes zDescartes dissected animals yStudied the biology of the brain and the body yHe felt that the brain fluid flowed through the nerves to the muscles to cause movement yA hydraulic explanation of what we now call a “simple reflex”

Psychology’s Roots  The Growth of Modern Science  1600’s  Francis Bacon wrote “The Proficiency and Advancement of Learning”  Human perception of patterns  The origin of superstition  John Locke wrote “Essay Concerning Human Understanding”  The mind of a baby is like a blank slate: “tabula rasa”  Empiricism  knowledge comes from experience via the senses  science should rely on observation and experiment

Summary of New Information zPost your summary of the lecture material zThis summary is the first step on your climb to knowledge zGo read the summaries of your group members zRate each Summary post with a 6

Reflection on New Information zWhat are YOUR reflective thoughts about this material? zPost a Reply to your own summary to share your thoughts zExample: “I think that…” zRead the Reflective posts of your group members zRate each Reflective post a 10

Questions about New Information zReach up to the next step of knowledge zWhat questions do you have? zPost your questions as Replies to Reflective posts zRate your group members’ Questions with a 10

Construct your Answers zRead the questions that other students have posted to you zTalk to your groupmates and the teacher for clarification zFind and create the answers: yRead the textbook yDo some research online zPost your Answers as replies to the question zRate your group members’ Answers with a 10