PSYC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Tabula Rasa, Corneal Reflex, James Mill
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Started in late nineteenth century in germany. Each of us conscious of own existence & relate to own behaviours. Only experience own consciousness (private), we assume others are conscious as well. Animism belief that animals & moving objects possess spirits providing motive force. Psychology as science based on assumption that behaviour is strictly subject to physical laws. Advocated sober, impersonal investigation of natural phenomena using sensory experience & human reasoning. Assumed world = mechanical entity, once set in motion by gov, ran course w/o divine interference: understand world by understand how it was constructed. Reflex automatic response to stimulus, such as blink reflex to sudden unexpected approach of object toward eyes; energy coming from outside source reflect back through nervous system to muscles which would contract. Possession of mind set humans apart from rest of world. Dualism philosophical belief that reality consists of mind & matter. Distinguish between extended things/ physical bodies & thinking things/minds.
