UF6023 SYSTEM & THEORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

LECTURE 2

I.B.Maakip, 2010

Outline of Lecture 2

Philosophical Issues

What is Epistemology?

School of Philosophy

What is Causality?

Model of Science School of Philosophy Free will versus Determinism Mind and body problem The Problem of Explanation
I.B.Maakip, 2010

What is Epistemology?

What is epistemology?

Derived from the Greek episteme = to

understand or to know.

Definition: The theory of the origin, nature and limits of knowledge (Baldwin, 1901). How do we know the truth?
I.B.Maakip, 2010

Philosophical IssuesCtd What is Epistemology?...Ctd

It investigates the nature of knowledge and the process of knowing. It is also the science of determining the nature and limits of human knowledge.

I.B.Maakip, 2010

What is Epistemology?...Ctd Philosophical IssuesCtd Philosophical Questions =

How does knowledge arise? and what modes of knowledge are valid? Empiricism admits:

Two camps of philosophers:

no trustworthy information than the data of experience; reason as a special faculty is more important
I.B.Maakip, 2010

Rationalism claims:

Philosophical IssuesCtd What is Epistemology? Ctd

Two approaches to epistemology: Rationalism versus Empiricism Rationalism we gain knowledge through reasoning Empiricism we gain knowledge through sensory experience Rationalists focus: necessary truth. The basic form of necessary truth is self-evident truth Immanuel Kant: rationalists believes in A Priori Knowledge. What is a priori knowledge?
I.B.Maakip, 2010

What is Epistemology?...Ctd

A priori knowledge:

our perceptions are operational from birth, that are built in or a natural outcome of the unique structural and functional properties of the nervous systems.

I.B.Maakip, 2010

Philosophical IssuesCtd What is Epistemology?...Ctd

Use deduction technique.

What is all about?

Deduction =Syllogism = modus ponens. For example,

Men are mortal. Aristotle is a man. Therefore, Aristotle is mortal. If and Then Syllogism.

Modus tollens If x, then y. Not x, Therefore not y.

I.B.Maakip, 2010

Philosophical IssuesCtd What is Epistemology?...Ctd

Empiricism

we gain knowledge through sensory experience empirical truth (also known as synthetic truth), which we derive from our sensory experience of the world.

Empiricism focuses on:

The simplest form of empirical truth is that based on direct observation -- taking a good hard look. Now this is not the same as anecdotal evidence.
I.B.Maakip, 2010

What is Epistemology? Ctd

Use induction technique.

What induction is all about?

Make the observations; apply some theories, applied statistical analysis, make conclusion and finally generalization

Similar to what will do in your final year thesis!

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What is Epistemology? Ctd

Empiricism believes in

A Posteriori Knowledge

derived from experience.

Empiricism = all perceptions are learned or developed from experience.

the importance of experience to various acquisitions, capacities or abilities.

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What is Epistemology? Ctd Philosophical IssuesCtd

What are the criteria by which we claim to know the truth? On what grounds are we to claim that we have knowledge?

Authority religion versus science, science versus legal systems, or science versus science! Abuse of authority Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) and Michael Servetus (1511-1553)

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Models of Science

Karl Popper

Scientific claims must be falsifiable.

Thomas Kuhn

A community of scientists shares a paradigm describing the accepted beliefs, values, and methods of a science.

Persistent anomalies lead to scientific revolution Anything goes if a method generates results
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Paul Feyerabend

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Relevance of Epistemology to Psychology

Early psychologists disagree over the appropriate methodology for the new psychology

Should there be one method or many? If there is to be but one, which should be it?

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School of Philosophy

Empiricism

it means experience.

It also refers to a theory of knowledge in which experience plays a central role. Experience would depends on information provided by the senses. Knowledge is based on facts as revealed by observation and as represented in experience.

Francis Bacon, John Locke, George Berkeley

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School of PhilosophyCtd

Rationalism

it means reason.
It emphasizes the importance of a priori reason or innate ideas. Rationalists argue that the mind has innate organizing principles of its own so that information from the senses is filtered and patterned in ways that are built into the organism. The believe that sensory information alone is not an adequate basis for knowledge and emphasized the activity of the mind, the capacity of reason and the ability to discern some meanings on an intuitive basis.

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School of PhilosophyCtd

Aestheticism

Pragmatism

a commitment to the belief that the principles of beauty are applicable to other arenas of thought.
things done. Francis Bacon = emphasized theories and propositions that can be tested.

Greek word of pragma = things accomplished or

William James = emphasized the practical consequences of theories, definitions, ideas and concepts. Pragmatism judges in utility and workability.
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What is Causality

Aristotle gives us the meaning of causality:

efficient cause = which immediately sets a thing in motion. material cause = an understanding of a material structure of a thing is necessary to an understanding of causation. final cause = the end or purpose for which a change was produced. formal cause = form, shape or identifying properties of a thing.

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Free Will and Determinism

Free Will

The belief that human beings make choices that are, to some degree, independent of the antecedent conditions. Free will is necessary to adequately explain human experience. Choosing to believe in determinism is inherently illogical. Determinism makes a mess of morality by eliminating responsibility.
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Free Will and DeterminismCtd

Determinism

the belief that there are causes, both known and unknown, for every behavior or experience. Free will makes a mess of morality. Belief in determinism provides us with grounds to expect some outcomes.

I.B.Maakip,

2010

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Mind-Body Problem

The mind-body problem =

Some of the questions are:

an ontology = a study of the nature and relations of being.

What is real? Is there a mind that is independent from the brain? What is the relationship between the mind and the brain? Is there one fundamental reality (monism), two (monism) or perhaps many (pluralism) Do psychologists study the mind or do they study only behavior?

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Mind-Body ProblemCtd
What is the relationship between the subjective mind and the physical brain? Monistic positions argue that everything is related to one fundamental thing.

Materialism argues that everything is physical. Idealism argues that everything is mental. Double aspect monism argues that mind and

brain are like two sides of the same coin. Epiphenomenalism suggests that mental states are only the overflow or byproduct of brain activity.
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Mind-Body ProblemCtd

Dualistic positions argue that mental and physical

are two qualitatively different orders of reality.

Interactionism argues that the mind and the body are

fundamentally different but interact.

Psychophysical parallelism argues that mind and body

coexist in a beautiful pre-established harmony without interaction.

Emergentism argues that mental processes are produced

by brain processes but are qualitatively different.
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Mind-Body ProblemCtd

Pluralism the belief that there are

many real things that may interact in a variety of ways.

Ontological pluralism suggests mind and

body exist along with other orders of reality. Attributive pluralism maintains that there are many ways to describe an object

Humans should be open to several valid levels of explanation.

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The Problem of Explanation

Explanations by analogies risk overstating similarities. Models as explanations may apply only in a limited fashion to what we wish to explain. Numerical analyses can describe and predict, but explanation is limited. Neurological and physiological explanations can provide input on the physiological processes, but can they explain psychological phenomena?
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Summary

Definition of epistemology Causality Free will vs. Determinism Mind and body problem The problem of explanation

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