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1. Early Roots of Psychology
Created @November 3, 2023 10:33 AM
Type Tutorial
Materials 2.3C in-depth questions problem 1.docx
Reviewed
Basic Definitions
Dualism
There is another reality we can’t see (eg. God, heaven, the world of ideas) in
addition to the reality we witness
Empiricism
knowledge is based on perception & the senses
Extreme empiricism
cognitive processes are not necessary for acquiring knowledge
Idealism
The truth consists of ideas & isn't a physical thing
an idealist is also a monist
everything can be explained by mental processes in the mind
Monism
There is only one form of existence, either material or ideal
Everything can be explained by either matter (materialism) or ideas (idealism)
Materialism
1. Early Roots of Psychology 1
, Everything is matter, even psychological processes
a materialist is also a reductionist (explaining psychological phenomena
from biological terms)
Nativism
True knowledge is innate, present upon birth
many nativists are extreme rationalists
Rationalism
Knowledge happens through reasoning
Extreme rationalism: perception is unnecessary
According to other rationalists, knowledge is acquired through reasoning
about sensory perception or perceptual observation
Plato (427-347 BC)
Nativist, Dualist, Rationalist, Idealist, Monist
Nativist
Our character & knowledge are innate
Carried by the soul from its vision of the Forms and its lives in previous
incarnations (existences)
learning is a process of recollecting to consciousness what we already
know
Rationalist
Use logical reasoning to gain knowledge
knowledge of Forms is universal explained through reasoning
e.g., Pythagoras’ theorem is obtained through logical argument rather
than observation
Dualist
2 worlds
1. Early Roots of Psychology 2
, World of Forms (perfect, ideal version, intelligible world)
Consists of ideas / forms (real knowledge)
These are universals known by reason
These shapes arise from reasoning from previous knowledge, such as
abstract definitions of mathematics
you cannot touch or grab
“Realm of being”
Materialistic world (world of appearances, world of opinion)
Observable copies of Forms
Observation is contaminated by individual differences & cultural
preconception
the world of opinion is made up of changing particulars of the material
world, conveyed by our senses
However our senses are not accurate, so the body prevents us from
gaining knowledge
“Realm of becoming”
💡 You can only gain REAL knowledge (FORMS) from the Intelligible world
(known by reason)
Epistemology
Study of knowledge
Found by Plato
Truth VS Knowledge
Knowledge is the knowledge of truth
When truth becomes known ➡️ it becomes knowledge
Truth
1. Early Roots of Psychology 3
, according to Plato, truth & hence our knowledge of it has 2 defining
characteristics
1st
a belief is true (is knowledge) if it’s true in all times & all places
2nd
knowledge has to be rationally justifiable
don’t know truth unless you can explain your judgements & convince
others it’s correct
JTB
Justified, True, Belief
Plato’s Forms
In maths, Plato found a path to Truth & nature of Truth itself
Mathematical theories are Provable & therefore True ➡️
supported by Logical
Argument rather than observation & measurement eg. Pythagorean theorem
💡 Forms are more real than their observable copies because they are
ETERNAL
Forms
belong to the realm of Being, subsisting (surviving) eternally
while their material but ephemeral (short-lived) copies belong to the realm of
Becoming
exist as nonphysical objects: more real than their observable copies bc
they’re eternal, existing outside the physical realm of Becoming
they are emphatically (clearly) not just private thoughts, but exist outside the
human mind as fixed, universal objects of thought
sensory perception is the result of the interaction between pure form & matter
➡️ bc matter changes continuously, the result of this interaction is less perfect
1. Early Roots of Psychology 4
1. Early Roots of Psychology
Created @November 3, 2023 10:33 AM
Type Tutorial
Materials 2.3C in-depth questions problem 1.docx
Reviewed
Basic Definitions
Dualism
There is another reality we can’t see (eg. God, heaven, the world of ideas) in
addition to the reality we witness
Empiricism
knowledge is based on perception & the senses
Extreme empiricism
cognitive processes are not necessary for acquiring knowledge
Idealism
The truth consists of ideas & isn't a physical thing
an idealist is also a monist
everything can be explained by mental processes in the mind
Monism
There is only one form of existence, either material or ideal
Everything can be explained by either matter (materialism) or ideas (idealism)
Materialism
1. Early Roots of Psychology 1
, Everything is matter, even psychological processes
a materialist is also a reductionist (explaining psychological phenomena
from biological terms)
Nativism
True knowledge is innate, present upon birth
many nativists are extreme rationalists
Rationalism
Knowledge happens through reasoning
Extreme rationalism: perception is unnecessary
According to other rationalists, knowledge is acquired through reasoning
about sensory perception or perceptual observation
Plato (427-347 BC)
Nativist, Dualist, Rationalist, Idealist, Monist
Nativist
Our character & knowledge are innate
Carried by the soul from its vision of the Forms and its lives in previous
incarnations (existences)
learning is a process of recollecting to consciousness what we already
know
Rationalist
Use logical reasoning to gain knowledge
knowledge of Forms is universal explained through reasoning
e.g., Pythagoras’ theorem is obtained through logical argument rather
than observation
Dualist
2 worlds
1. Early Roots of Psychology 2
, World of Forms (perfect, ideal version, intelligible world)
Consists of ideas / forms (real knowledge)
These are universals known by reason
These shapes arise from reasoning from previous knowledge, such as
abstract definitions of mathematics
you cannot touch or grab
“Realm of being”
Materialistic world (world of appearances, world of opinion)
Observable copies of Forms
Observation is contaminated by individual differences & cultural
preconception
the world of opinion is made up of changing particulars of the material
world, conveyed by our senses
However our senses are not accurate, so the body prevents us from
gaining knowledge
“Realm of becoming”
💡 You can only gain REAL knowledge (FORMS) from the Intelligible world
(known by reason)
Epistemology
Study of knowledge
Found by Plato
Truth VS Knowledge
Knowledge is the knowledge of truth
When truth becomes known ➡️ it becomes knowledge
Truth
1. Early Roots of Psychology 3
, according to Plato, truth & hence our knowledge of it has 2 defining
characteristics
1st
a belief is true (is knowledge) if it’s true in all times & all places
2nd
knowledge has to be rationally justifiable
don’t know truth unless you can explain your judgements & convince
others it’s correct
JTB
Justified, True, Belief
Plato’s Forms
In maths, Plato found a path to Truth & nature of Truth itself
Mathematical theories are Provable & therefore True ➡️
supported by Logical
Argument rather than observation & measurement eg. Pythagorean theorem
💡 Forms are more real than their observable copies because they are
ETERNAL
Forms
belong to the realm of Being, subsisting (surviving) eternally
while their material but ephemeral (short-lived) copies belong to the realm of
Becoming
exist as nonphysical objects: more real than their observable copies bc
they’re eternal, existing outside the physical realm of Becoming
they are emphatically (clearly) not just private thoughts, but exist outside the
human mind as fixed, universal objects of thought
sensory perception is the result of the interaction between pure form & matter
➡️ bc matter changes continuously, the result of this interaction is less perfect
1. Early Roots of Psychology 4
