Introduction: The History of Psychology
Philosophical Background
Psychology has no definite, absolute beginning, but there is speculation that early humans were curious about human nature. Serious study of the human psyche began in ancient times, with ancient philosophers began to record their findings and thoughts about behavior and the nature of the human mind. The name ‘psychology' is from the two Greek roots, psyche and logos, which mean "mind" and "study," respectively. Psychological thought was most influenced by three very well known ancient philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates' maxim was "know thyself," which was an idea that accentuated the importance of personal reflection and self-examination. "He believed the unexamined life is not worth living" (Nevid 4). This idea of self-assessment is one of the most enduring in the history of psychology. Plato, one of Socrates' students, had learned that we should not rely purely on our senses to perceive......
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