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Essay / Tabula Rasa Theories by John Locke
Table of ContentsPhilosophyScienceConclusionThroughout history, psychology has taken shape and become a vital scientific field in modern times. The origins of psychology are deeply rooted in the field of philosophy, dating back to the ancient Greeks with such recognizable names as Aristotle and Plato, who began thinking about the causes of human behavior even before physiology and anatomy linked the brain to behavior. Many philosophers have attempted to explain the basis of our behavior, but few have been influential and ingenious enough to not only change the face of psychology, but also take it in a new direction and develop theories that are still considered as relevant today. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay With the growing popularity of psychology in the field of philosophy, it was only a matter of time before psychology attracted the interest of academics with a more scientific approach to determining and explaining the causes of behavior human. Following in the footsteps of Wilhelm Wundt and William James, the founding fathers of modern psychology, many scientists have rushed to refute current theories. As the centuries have passed and our knowledge and technologies continue to advance, few philosophers and scientists have come so close to marking with their theories that they have so influenced the field and that they still remain today a essential part of our research, our experiments and our theories. John Locke, a 17th century English philosopher, and Charles Darwin, a 19th century naturalist and scientist, are two men who fall into this category. John Locke's theories about how we acquire knowledge marked a turning point in child psychology at a time when children were supposed to be seen, not heard. His beliefs are still valid today where the nature versus nurture argument comes into play. Charles Darwin catapulted functionalism to the forefront in the field of psychology and opened psychology to all areas of research and collection data concerning human behavior. Darwin's theory of evolution is still central to many areas of psychology and is one of the most important developments in the field of psychology to date. Philosophy John Locke was one of several philosophers of his time who believed that knowledge was acquired through experience and is often identified as the first of the great English empiricists. This title is often given to him because of his book, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, in which one of his most important aims was to determine the limits of human understanding. Although the most important work of Locke's life was in the political realm, he put the same ideas into practice in the field of psychology. Locke's contempt for authority led him to extend his beliefs beyond politics; he wanted people to use reason to seek truth rather than simply accepting the opinion of authorities or basing their beliefs on superstition. This is how he approached his study of cognitive functioning. Locke disagreed with Descartes' theory that knowledge can be innate, knowledge that we have acquired without experience and developed from our consciousness. This is where his political ideas and his philosophical ideas intersect. Locke believed that we are obliged to acquire knowledge andnot just accepting what we are told; knowledge is not innate, our minds acquire simple information and construct complex ideas. Locke subscribed to the same basic idea that, as Aristotle had done hundreds of years earlier, the mind is a blank slate when we are born. He applied this concept to children, which was quite radical for the time. Locke argued that children are not inherently evil, that they are born with this blank slate, and that their experiences are instrumental in determining their characteristics as adults. He believed that children developed poor habits of thought and that in order to deter this, children should be taught to base their beliefs on strong, fact-based notions rather than simply believing what is meant to be understood as facts. This idea of a blank page is still defended by psychologists today. This is the same as nature versus nurture theory. Locke simply believed that everything is nourished and that what we become depends on our environment and what we experience. He urged parents to spend time with their children and guide them to help them become honorable members of society. Although we now know, based on years of research and study, that heredity and genetics are part of what decides our destiny as we move into adulthood, experience plays a role. an important role in our emotional and social development. Locke's argument was based on two different types of factors. experience, sensation and reflection. Sensation is based on external experiences such as color, sound and movement, and reflection is based on internal experiences, which cause the mind to reflect on those sensations we have experienced and form thoughts and thoughts. ideas, thus strengthening our knowledge. This is where we put our simple ideas together, which then turn into complex ideas. Sensation helps us form simple and very basic ideas. Reflecting on these sensations causes us to add up these stored simple ideas to form a complex idea, thereby adding to our knowledge base. “The notion of combination or composition of ideas and the inverse notion of their analysis mark the beginning of the mental chemistry approach to the problem of association.” Simply put, association is learning.ScienceCharles Darwin is probably one of the most renowned scientists who developed one of the most controversial theories in history, the theory of evolution. Darwin's ideas began to be formulated while he was acting as a naturalist on a five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle. Aboard the Beagle, Darwin took meticulous notes of his observations and collected countless biological and geological specimens which were returned to England. From these notes and specimens, Darwin wrote three books on South American geology, published numerous scientific articles on zoology and began his notebook on the transmutation of species. After his return, Darwin began communicating with breeders, zookeepers, naturalists, and gardeners to gather facts and evidence to support his theory of evolution. Two years later, Darwin became fascinated by a two-year-old orangutan named Jenny, on display at London Zoo. He was so taken with Jenny that he returned several times to observe and interact with her until she died of illness after only two years in captivity. Darwin's reaction was one of deep astonishment evident in his notebook: "Let man visit the domesticated orangutan, see its intelligence, and then boast of its proud.