Judging by current literature, 2 theoretical psychology in America has become pretty thoroughly convinced of the value of symbolic logic. As a philosopher I cannot conceal my pleasure over this recognition of the importance to psychology of one of the disciplines which by tradition is included in philosophy. My own conviction is that we are suffering today from too great a separation of the specialized research of the sciences and the more general, synthetic inquiry of philosophy, and that any sincere attempt to bring understanding and cooperation between these two interests is to be wholeheartedly encouraged. So if I point out what seem to me to be certain dangers in the current trend in psychology, it is not because I wish to disparage it, but rather because I fear that, if it grows too rapidly, its roots will be too shallow, and it will die almost as quickly as it has grown, to be replaced, perhaps, by an even greater suspicion of everything philosophical than that which it had to overcome. The dangers I shall indicate may be said to be all 'psychological,' but surely no psychologist would add 'merely' to this characterization (though I fear some logical positivists might). For, they are real dangers for which psychology, as a human enterprise, must be on the alert. They are, however, dangers, not insuperable obstacles.The recognition and appraisal of these dangers in the use of symbolic logic in current psychology (or, as I shall call it, the 'logicizing of psychology') may perhaps be best introduced by 1 Developed from a talk given to the Psychology Seminar at Stanford University on May 26, 1941, and read before the Philosophical Club of Stanford University on August 2, 1941. 1 See, e.g., bibliographies in (44, 26).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.