Introduction
The use of basic ideas aimed at making the learner understand the evolution of modern psychology in an easier way. The professor explained the meaning and difference between appearance and reality. Appearance was considered temporary, internal and prejudiced while reality was considered eternal and objective. The definition of appearance is defined as an outward facet of something and it has a chance of viewed as either deceptive or actual. On the other hand, reality is the fact and the real meaning of something.
He also discussed about the things that makes up the universe and what the world is constituted of. He talked about the Greek creation and the views of the following philosophers: Achilles and Apollo, Helen of Tray, Lida and the Swan and Zeus. The importance of ethics was highlighted to create awareness on the importance of the ethics and the reason why they are possible to be applied in the evolution of psychology (Schultz, 2008). I also learned about connections that linked philosophy and myth and the reason why it is important to understand philosophy.
Reductionism v/s holism is a method of philosophy and science that was discussed and it explained how to reduce greater complexities to various parts. In the study of Parmenides the lecturer distinguished between the way of truth and the way of opinion and how they this could change our thinking in this world. He also taught about, Empedodes, four classical elements of mythology and two types of change. Dualism was also taught and it explained about two things that were constituted in one thing. It was important to note that man was the measure of all things. Evolutionary psychology is considered a social and natural science approach and it studies about the psychological traits. It holds the behavior incorporated in all the cultures and their adaptations. Socrates and Plato claimed that the ethical values required a solution to the question of knowledge so that the help of epistemology could save morality.
On the cognitive perspective the processes involved in the mind of a person is the fundamental focus. Example of these processes includes memory learning, understanding, and thought about the nature of things. The difference of this perspective with the others is the extent to which the scientific methods are used. This implies that the cognitive perspective focuses on the inside mind to its definite mental situation. For example, a person strives to attain self-actualization, a significant process in the development of the personality and mutuality.
Evolutionary perspective outlines evolutionary theory that treats the perception and language of an individual as adaptations. Our ancestors also used the adaptations in order to improve the thinking capacity and problem solving. Traits such as fear are beloved to be because of this ancestral perspective. However, characteristics such as natural and sexual selection have remained the same. For instances elaborated tail of a peacocks has remained as a way to attractive the member of the opposite sex. On the other hand, on natural selection, finches still have various shapes of their beaks as an adaptation of food sources.
Aristotle developed an efficient theory of change and substance to discuss the change in innate substances such as plants, elements and animals. In order to understand the change and stability occurring in the natural change, he developed three essential ingredients of change. Two of the ingredients are represented by a pair of contrasting state or characteristics, the order by which change occurs. The other ingredient is the subject matter which brings about change and carries on though the change. He describe the source of stability or change as a formal cause meaning that change or stability is a fully realized idea that is embodied to a structure, pattern of an essence.
In the traditional psychology nurture versus nature is one of the most significant and elaborated issue. They are relative roles of environmental factors and genetic inheritance to the development of human being. Descartes and Plato argue that some of the human factors are inborn or they simply occur naturally without the influence of environmental factors. On the other hand, there are other philosophers such as John Locke who believes that we become what we are because of the knowledge which is as a result of our experiences. However, the modern philosophers believe that development and behavior are determined by both nurture and nature. For instance, a person excels in academics due to the fact they are hereditarily prone to excel and the enriched environment.
Through the behavioral perspective, I have been able to understand how the health of mind of an individual is associated to their behaviors. For instance, it is by behavioral psychology that the therapists are able to diagnose and treat various diseases related to the background of an individual. Therefore, it is believed that the illness of an individual is highly influenced by his or her behaviors (Bakalis, 2005). The behavioral perspective therefore, helps us to understand and view the human mind as an iceberg that is only visible in small proportion. The human mind is visible behavior, but it is at the state of nothingness.
Briefly, this are the basic ideas in psychology taught by professor potter: difference between appearance and reality, the substances that makes up the universe, the Greek creation and the views of the philosophers, the importance of ethics, connections that linked philosophy and myth and the reason why it is important to understand philosophy, Reductionism v/s holism, philosophy versus myth. The philosophers helped us to gain knowledge on the evolution of philosophy and they helped us to learn about human behaviors and attitudes. In psychology, it is believed that, the heart was the centre of all the mental activities. With the help of deductive reasoning, the scientific reasons could be dragged to explain certain phenomenon. The professor helped me to understand the evolution of modern psychology. The critic in this course is that the different views and opinions expressed by the psychologists could confuse individuals on the explanation of a certain something.
References
Bakalis, N. (2005). Handbook of Greek Philosophy: From Thales to the Stoics: Analysis and Fragments. Victoria, BC: Trafford Publishing
Duane P Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz, (2008). A History of Modern Psychology. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth
