Rationalism Overview and Key Thinkers

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Questions and Answers

What was James' belief about emotions and physiological reactions?

Emotions are a result of labeling physiological reactions. (correct)

Emotional states are fixed and unchangeable.

Physiological reactions have no influence on emotions.

Emotions depend solely on external events.

Which characteristic of consciousness did James NOT endorse?

It is personal.

It is ever-changing.

It can be segmented into distinct parts. (correct)

It is selective.

Which of the following did Mary Calkins introduce into the psychology curriculum?

Cognitive psychology

Behaviorism

Psychoanalysis

Experimental psychology (correct)

What is recapitulation theory attributed to Stanley Hall?

Every individual reenacts stages of human evolution during their lifetime. Signup and view all the answers

What major contribution is Francis Sumner recognized for in psychology?

Investigating the impact of racism on psychology. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of psychology did John Dewey focus on with the reflex arc concept?

The connection between stimuli, sensation, and response. Signup and view all the answers

How did Stanley Hall contribute to the understanding of aging?

By laying the groundwork for aging and life-span psychology. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes James' view on the nature of consciousness?

It is a dynamic and selective experience. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key focus of the Functionalists in psychology?

Understanding the function of the mind Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the Functionalist view on research methods?

All techniques that yield useful information are valid Signup and view all the answers

How did William James contribute to the field of psychology?

By incorporating evolutionary theory and broadening the subject matter Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the Functionalist's stance on the study of different subjects?

They sought to broaden psychology to include various demographics Signup and view all the answers

Which type of personality does the term 'tender-minded' describe according to William James?

Rationalistic and dogmatic Signup and view all the answers

What perspective did William James take regarding beliefs and behaviors?

They must be judged by their consequences Signup and view all the answers

According to the traditional view mentioned, what occurs in response to seeing a bear?

We experience fear and subsequently act upon it Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of mental processes did the Functionalists prioritize in their studies?

The motivations behind behavior and mental processes Signup and view all the answers

What did Rousseau believe about the General Will?

It is an ambiguous concept referring to what is best for the community. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Noble Savage' refer to in Rousseau's philosophy?

An ideal human born good and uncorrupted by civilization. Signup and view all the answers

What is the central idea of Sturm and Drang?

Opposing forces must be embraced for personal growth. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary human motivation according to Schopenhauer?

The will to survive. Signup and view all the answers

How did Kierkegaard perceive the act of reading the Bible?

As a love letter that evokes personal and emotional responses. Signup and view all the answers

In Kierkegaard's stages of personal freedom, what characterizes the aesthetic stage?

A pursuit of excitement without recognizing the ability to choose. Signup and view all the answers

What does Existentialism prioritize in understanding life?

Personal freedom and individual meaning. Signup and view all the answers

What is the concept of the 'thing-in-itself' in Schopenhauer's philosophy?

The inner essence of everything, known as the will. Signup and view all the answers

What did Helmholtz discover about the conduction rate in frog legs?

It is approximately ninety feet per second. Signup and view all the answers

How did Hering explain the perception of gray?

Gray is perceived when catabolic and anabolic processes occur simultaneously. Signup and view all the answers

According to Christine Ladd-Franklin's theory of color vision, which type of vision appeared first in evolution?

Monochrome vision Signup and view all the answers

What did Johann Spurzheim contribute to the study of phrenology?

He identified 14 emotional faculties and 21 intellectual faculties in the brain. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of Wernicke's area?

Responsible for speech comprehension. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Two-Point Threshold measure?

The distance that separates two pointed stimulations on the skin. Signup and view all the answers

What was Ernst Weber's major contribution to the understanding of the senses?

He discovered the Just Noticeable Difference. Signup and view all the answers

What effect did red, yellow, and white have according to Hering's explanation of color vision?

They have a catabolic effect. Signup and view all the answers

Which category of thought is associated with the idea of a potential state versus its impossibility?

Possibility-impossibility Signup and view all the answers

What did Hegel consider as the primary process through which knowledge of the Absolute is achieved?

Dialectic process Signup and view all the answers

Herbart is known for rejecting which of the following concepts in psychology?

Experimental psychology Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Romanticism, what did John Rousseau imply about society?

Society is an artificial creation Signup and view all the answers

What educational focus did Herbart emphasize through the concept of wissenschaft?

A body of knowledge organized according to principles Signup and view all the answers

Which best describes Hegel's view of alienation?

A realization of separateness from the Absolute Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of human experience did Romantics emphasize in contrast to rational thought?

Emotional feeling and faith Signup and view all the answers

Which category of thought does not pertain to Kant's framework?

Community Signup and view all the answers

What did rationalists believe about the mind's relationship with sensory data?

The mind actively adds to sensory data. Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher is associated with the concept of pantheism?

Baruch Spinoza Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of rational monads according to Leibniz?

They are the ultimate units of reality closest to God. Signup and view all the answers

How did Spinoza differentiate between passions and emotions?

He separated them based on the continuum of pleasure and pain. Signup and view all the answers

What did Kant propose about a priori categories of thought?

They function independently of experience. Signup and view all the answers

What role do simple monads play according to Leibniz's philosophy?

They make up inorganic and organic matter. Signup and view all the answers

What does double aspectism suggest about the mind and body?

They are united but displayed in different facets. Signup and view all the answers

What was a common belief among rationalists regarding truths about the world?

Some truths must be discovered through logical deduction. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Rationalism

Rationalists believed in an active mind that adds to sensory data, rather than passively processing.
They emphasized deductive reasoning and innate mental abilities.
Rationalists believed some truths are discoverable through logic and deduction, not experience.
Many rationalists were continental Europeans, especially German.
Spinoza believed everything is part of one great eternal unity (Pantheism), where God is everywhere.
Spinoza's concept of "double aspectism" posits that mind and body are one, but appear different (like two sides of a coin).
Spinoza denied free will.
Emotions are along a continuum anchored by pleasure and pain, according to Spinoza.
Leibniz believed reality consisted of monads (units of energy and soul).
Rational monads are closest to God and are the basis for human apperception (understanding of objects).

Characteristics of Rationalists/Rationalism

Believed everything was part of one eternal unity.
Believed in innate mental powers.
Emphasized the importance of deductive reasoning.
Believed certain truths are knowable through logic and reasoning, independent of experience.

Immanuel Kant

Kant's a priori categories of thought are ways of thinking that are not dependent on experience.
Sensory data is processed through these categories to form knowledge.
Categories include unity, totality, time, space, causality, etc.
Recognized a nominal world (as it exists) and a phenomenal world (as we experience it).
Kant's philosophy bridges empiricism and rationalism.

Wilhelm Hegel

Hegel's dialectical process is a method of understanding where a thesis generates an antithesis leading to synthesis, creating a new thesis, and so on.
The process continues until the 'Absolute' is reached (perfect knowledge)
Hegel emphasizes the importance of the mind's realization of its separation from the Absolute (alienation), which is necessary to complete its development toward the Absolute.

Herbert Spencer

Spencer applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (social Darwinism).

Francis Galton

Galton investigated fingerprints as a means of personal identification.
He believed general intelligence was linked to sensory acuity.
Galton advocated for eugenics.

James Cattell

Cattell was a strong advocate for eugenics.

Alfred Binet

Binet created a test to assess mental retardation.
Binet-Simon Scale was an early intelligence test.

Charles Spearman

Spearman's g factor theory proposes a general factor of intelligence underlying all intellectual abilities.

Henry Goddard

Goddard worked on classifying intellectual abilities and disabilities.

Lewis Terman

Terman worked on intelligence testing.
His work included "The Kallikak Family"

Robert Yerkes

Yerkes designed intelligence tests for use in the military.

David Wechsler

Wechsler developed intelligence scales (WAIS, WISC, WPPSI).

American Psychology and Functionalism

Functionalists focused on the functions of the mind, not just its structure.
They wanted psychology to be practical and applicable to everyday life.
Functionalists studied animals, children, and psychopathology, expanding the scope of psychology.
Utilized introspection and observation-based experiments
Influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution.

William James

James was a prominent functionalist.
James expanded the scope of psychology by studying emotions, volition, and religious experience.
He developed a pragmatist view of knowledge.
He advocated for utilizing all methods and techniques that could give meaningful data.

Stanley Hall

Hall worked in developmental psychology.
Hall's recapitulation theory suggested that individuals in their life-cycle recapitulate the evolutionary stages of human species.

John Dewey

Dewey rejected the distinction between sensory stimulus and motor-response.
Dewey advocated for "learning by doing".
Dewey emphasized student interest and practical problem solving.

Conwy Morgan

Morgan's Canon emphasized that actions should be interpreted from the simplest possible perspective if there were not reasons to do otherwise.

Edward Thorndike

Thorndike established the "Law of Effect" (pleasant consequences strengthen behavior, and unpleasant ones weaken it).
Thorndike also studied intelligence as being comprised of different skillsets and aptitudes.

Ivan Sechenov

Sechenov investigated the role of inhibition in neural activity.

Ivan Pavlov

Pavlov's classical conditioning studies with dogs involved reflexive responses linked to stimuli.
Pavlov's work highlighted the importance of learning by association, a crucial component in behaviorism

Vladamir Bechterev

Bechterev argued that consciousness was not necessary to study and understand psychological phenomenon.
Bechterev advocated for removing philosophy and introspection from psychology.
Bechterev believed psychological research should focus on objective study of reflexes.

William McDougall

McDougall believed in the importance of instincts and consciousness in explaining behavior.
McDougall used experimental and observational approaches to research
McDougall argued that psychology should study consciousness.

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Description

This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of Rationalism, highlighting the beliefs held by prominent rationalists like Spinoza and Leibniz. It delves into the nature of the mind, deductive reasoning, and the unity of existence as proposed by these philosophers. Test your understanding of their theories and contributions to philosophy.