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Questions and Answers
Which philosopher believed that we can experience only our own subjective reality but disagreed with the idea that our perceptions accurately reflect the physical world because God would not deceive us?
What is the primary focus of Ernst Mach's brand of positivism?
According to John Stuart Mill, what is the process by which complex ideas can be distinctly different from the simple ideas that constitute them?
What is the term for the belief that all knowledge is derived from experience, especially sensory experience?
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According to David Hume, what is the power of the mind to arrange and rearrange ideas into countless configurations?
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According to Jeremy Bentham, what is the primary goal of a society?
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Who is credited with coining the term sociology?
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Which philosopher believed that the only thing we experience directly is our own perceptions?
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Who maintained that all human mental attributes could be explained using only the concept of sensation?
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Who explained voluntary behavior in a way that was similar to modern learning theorists?
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Study Notes
Philosophers and Their Definitions
Alexander Bain (1818-1903)
- Attempted to relate physiological facts to psychological phenomena
- Explained voluntary behavior similar to modern learning theorists' explanation of trial-and-error behavior
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
- Believed that seeking pleasure and avoiding pain governed most human behavior
- Advocated for the greatest good for the greatest number of people
George Berkeley (1685-1753)
- Believed that the only thing we experience directly is our own perceptions or secondary qualities
- Explained the perception of distance by associating sensations caused by eye convergence and divergence with different distances
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
- Founder of positivism and coined the term sociology
- Believed that cultures passed through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and scientific
Étienne Bonnot de Condillac (1714-1780)
- Believed that all human mental attributes could be explained using only the concept of sensation
- Denied the existence of an autonomous mind
David Hartley (1705-1757)
- Combined empiricism, associationism, and rudimentary physiological notions
Claude-Adrien Helvétius (1715-1771)
- Elaborated the implications of empiricism and sensationalism for education
- Believed that a person's intellectual development is determined by controlling their experiences
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
- Believed that the primary motive in human behavior is seeking pleasure and avoiding pain
- Thought that the function of government is to satisfy human needs and prevent fighting
David Hume (1711-1776)
- Agreed with Berkeley that we can only experience our own subjective reality
- Disagreed with Berkeley's contention that our perceptions accurately reflect the physical world because God would not deceive us
John Locke (1632-1704)
- An empiricist who denied the existence of innate ideas
- Assumed many nativistically determined powers of the mind
Ernst Mach (1838-1916)
- Proposed a brand of positivism based on phenomenological experiences of scientists
- Believed that scientists should precisely describe relationships among mental phenomena without metaphysical speculation
James Mill (1773-1836) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
- James Mill: believed that all mental events consisted of sensations and ideas held together by association
- John Stuart Mill: disagreed with his father, proposing a process of mental chemistry where complex ideas could be distinctly different from simple ideas
Vocabulary Words and Their Definitions
Associationism
- The belief that laws of association provide the fundamental principles by which all mental phenomena can be explained
Complex Ideas
- Configurations of simple ideas
Empiricism
- The belief that all knowledge is derived from experience, especially sensory experience
Imagination
- According to Hume, the power of the mind to arrange and rearrange ideas into countless configurations
Impressions
- According to Hume, relatively strong mental experiences caused by sensory stimulation
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Description
This quiz covers famous philosophers and their contributions to the field of psychology, including Alexander Bain and Jeremy Bentham. Test your knowledge of their definitions and theories.
