PSYC1110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Natural Selection, Wilhelm Wundt
Document Summary
Late 19th century: psychology was on of the last scientific studies to emerge. It came about due to advances in physiological studies, dawin"s theory of natural selection/evolution, and age-old curiosity regarding human nature. Mind/body split: the mind cannot be measured because free will cannot be experimentally analyzed. Dualism: i. e the legal system: committing murder out of self-defense vs planned. Thomas malthus (1766-1834): population grows exponentially and there will always be poverty as people eat up the wealth and resources. Darwin: natural selection; there is not plan for life it is simply random variation. 1832-1836: darwin wrote origin of species based on his voyage on the beagle: species were not fixed and differences reflected environmental conditions. There must be some unit of inheritance passed on that influences phenotypic (physical) traits.