History
and Theory of Psychology: An early 21st century student's perspective
Paul
F. Ballantyne, Ph.D. 2008©
pballan@comnet.ca
Table
of Contents
Introductory
Comments: Notion of history, theory, and methodology
for the student of psychology
Preliminary
Definitions and Distinctions
Theory
and Knowledge in the "Standard" versus the "paradigm" view
of scientific practice
Where
does the discipline stand today?
On
surmounting the "insider vs. outsider" divide
Section
1: From the Presocratics to Aristotle: Fundamental issues and the
theoretical imperative
Ancient
Greek Culture and the Presocratic Philosophers
Socrates,
Plato, and Aristotle
Concluding
Remarks for Section 1
Section
2: From Bacon to Kant: Science and Psychological Themes
Francis
Bacon's Optimism
Importance
of Galileo to Psychology
Context
and Reasons for Descartes' Mind-Body Dualism
Classical
British Empiricism
The
Kant versus Hume debate and its importance for Psychology
Concluding
Remarks for Section 2
Section
3: Bridging
The Gap: British Associationism, Psychophysics, and the Founding of a Discipline
British
Associationism
Müller's
Vitalism, Fechner's Psychophysics, and Helmholtz on sensory elements
Wundt,
the Leipzig laboratory, and his rebellious students
Concluding
Remarks for Section 3
Section
4: Evolution and Psychology: In Darwin, Romanes, Morgan, James, Dewey,
and the Chicago Functionalists
Darwin's
Organic Evolution and Mental Continuity Doctrine
Romanes
and C.L. Morgan (Cultural evolution recognized)
James,
Lewes, and Dewey
Whatever
happened to "Functional" Psychology?
Concluding
Remarks for Section 4
Section
5: Wax and Wane of American General Psychology (1920-1990s): S-O-R,
the Operationist Variable model, and the Crisis of Relevance
From
Watson's S-R to Woodworth's middle of the road S-O-R
Rise
of the "molar" S-O-R formulas and early Variable models (Woodworth and
E.C. Tolman)
Rationale
and limits of the combined operationalized variable model
Variable
psychology and the anthropology of the abstract individual
Crisis
of Relevance
Concluding
Remarks for Section 5
Appendix
1: Political, Religious, and Economic Aspects of Western Culture
Appendix
2: Basic Philosophical Choices, metatheory, and theory assessment methodology
for a unified 21st century psychology
Appendix
3: Varied Positions on the Mind-Body Relation in Psychology
Appendix
4: Subject Matter and Method According to Classical Psychological System
Selected
Bibliography