Introduction
The history of psychology traces back to the liberal philosophies of Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician, who espoused the concept of carnal and mind dualism. Other great philosophers who contributed to the development of modern psychology were Plato and Aristotle among other Greek philosophers who upheld prodigious suppositions about human beings and their interactions with the world.
These philosophers developed many theories that explained bodily functions in aspects such as retention of information, knowledge, sensitivity, thought, and enthusiasm among others. This essay explores the history of modern psychology by examining how the contributions of great philosophers and physiologists influenced the work of early psychologists.
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes was a French Philosopher, scientist, and a mathematician who significantly contributed to what we recognize as modern psychology (Schultz & Schultz, 2012). The authors unveil that Descartes was an intellectual enthusiast who treasured knowledge pursuits and travels. The philosopher’s life characterizes a person who had a great love for philosophy, physics, and mathematics.
Contributions of Rene Descartes to Modern Psychology
At the outset, Schultz and Schultz (2012) reveal that that Descartes strongly held concepts of empiricism to study the functioning of the human body and it interaction with the environment. The philosopher’s most significant contributions to modern psychology were founded on a mechanistic rather than a scientific model. Descartes used his skills that he acquired from mathematical and philosophical concepts to explain the functioning of the body through performance of correlational analysis and significance tests.
Furthermore, Descartes developed analytical geometry methodologies through inductive and deductive reasoning. According to Schultz and Schultz (2012), these analytical geometrical concepts formed a strong foundation for modern psychology. The institution of methodology paved way for accurate and well-thought-out course of assessment and substantiation of psychological deductions. Lastly, but not the least, Descartes determined truth by reason. The philosopher was mostly concerned with what the senses perceived rather than how they perceived. This method of reasoning formed a sturdy framework for modern psychology.
Herman von Helmholtz
Helmholtz was a German physiologist and a physics philanthropist whose scientific thoughts significantly contributed to the basics of modern psychology. Many psychologists recognize Helmholtz for his mechanistic and deterministic methodologies that compared the functioning of the human body with machine concepts. The physiologist accomplished various innovations such as the theories of visual perception and development of the retina inspection tool known as the ophthalmoscope.
Contributions of Herman von Helmholtz to Modern Psychology
Herman von Helmholtz made recognizable contributions to modern psychology based on the concepts of abstract physics. Firstly, Helmholtz is widely recognized for his vast researches on neural functions of the body. The physiologist based most of his neural studies on vision and hearing. Although Helmholtz experiments depict a broader sense of psychological significance, Schultz and Schultz (2012) reveal that he was concerned with measurement of neural impulses and responses rather than the physiological relevance that the experiments established. However, the physiologist’s studies greatly influenced the development of modern psychology. Helmholtz psychophysiological methodologies are used in many areas of psychology today to enable human beings to understand why they react to varying situations in different ways (Schultz and Schultz, 2012).
Conclusion
This essay has examined the contributions of Descartes and Helmholtz towards the development of modern psychology. The concepts of great philosophers and physiologists have impending significance in development of other concepts in many fields of psychology. Descartes and Helmholtz’s concepts have paved ways for understanding proper functioning of the human body. Generally, physiological and philosophical empiricisms have enabled the human society to resolve diverse psychological issues.
Reference List
Schultz, D., & Schultz, S. (2012). A History of Modern Psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.