The Foundation of a New Science and Wundt as a Figurehead - Coursework Example

The Foundation of a New Science and Wundt as a Figurehead al Affiliation Introduction Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt is one of the first scholars to distinguish psychology as a distinct field of learning. He initially attempted to place psychology under philosophy by portraying the field as an experimental extension of the functioning of the human brain and personalities, thereby laying ground for the greater recognition that psychology has been subsequently accorded. His main contributions are seen as acts of pioneering in the field of psychology. In fact, he is portrayed as having had the intentions to bring psychology at par with modern day sciences that are heavily reliant on research and experimentation. Some of his outstanding attributes include his differentiation between psychology and other fields of study, and setting up the first experimental laboratories for psychological testing. Having become a scientist at an age when society was merely breaking away from rigid religious beliefs to a more scientific approach to life, Wundt can be described as a leading figure in the struggle to rational thinking. By engaging in laboratory experimentation as a way to understand human character in relation to the functioning of the brain, he became the first scholar to attempt to portray psychology as a science. This paper explores the philosophical, social and scientific conditions that existed in Germany at the time Wundt and other scholars successfully founded the new science of psychology. It further explores evidence of what Wundt understood psychology to mean, including a detailed account of how his laboratory was run. The Philosophical, Social and Scientific Conditions in Germany in the 1800s For many centuries Germany was the cradle of a significant percentage of both the technologic and scientific innovations that shaped much of the world’s global development. An overview of the developments on each front follows. Scientific Conditions Various scientific conditions within Germany steered the country towards its leading role in the path to development. Scientific development was the leading driver for advancing research techniques and increased academic involvement. One such developments was the cylinder press, invented by Friedrich Gottlob and Andreas Bauer in 1812. The cylinder press was the first high speed printing press. Though it was invented abroad, the two German inventors returned home and started producing similar machines for interested buyers, including the many established German university which were already serving as research hubs for the country’s emerging and existing scientists (Prepressure.com). By acquiring the cylinder press, these institutions were henceforth capable of publishing more research articles and findings, which encouraged growth in scientific and other research fields. Consequently, the levels of literacy were steadily growing in Germany, a factor that eventually led to increased numbers of researchers. This factor facilitated continuation of quality research by Germans. Another important step of the 1800s in Germany was the simultaneous discovery of the of papermaking techniques using pulped wood by German F.G. Keller and Canadian Charles Fenerty (Prepressure.com, 2012). This invention was a major complement of the earlier one by Gottlob and Bauer. The local paper manufacturing and printing businesses became more efficient with these two discoveries, and the new vibrancy in production was accompanied by increased publication of research results. At this point the country was fast becoming a research hub that many other countries could rely on to provide quality products as well as regular publication of research articles by the buzzing press. Several other discoveries followed up to the year 1899, the last year considered in this essay. Each new invention had its own positive implications on the growing field of academic research. Equally, corporates were getting involved in scientific research, which increased the levels of funding for the research society. One such investors is the Agfa, which focused on producing color dyes, but eventually specialized in production of film and printing plates. The Linotype, an invention by Ottmar Mergenthaler was significant for its role in easing entry of information into a multi-character keyboard Prepressure.com, 2012). Accumulation of growing knowledge and inventions in the area of printing was one of the major steps towards encouraging greater volumes of publications, and involvement of more scientists. The century preceding 1900 was also full of academic developments that supplemented the roles of researchers. Each university had its own research center. Many of these institutions were already in existence long before the turn of the 19th Century. For instance, the University of Jena (founded in 1558) was the last in a series of the top ten universities formed before the 1600s to be in existence for the entire period between their formations and the 1800s. The role of these institutions in grooming future researchers cannot be overstated. Equally beneficial was their support for advanced research that led to increased scientific activity around the country. At the time of its unification, Germany was already a leading powerhouse in the field of academia. Each university had its own community of researchers who focused on furthering physical and theoretical inventions and developments. In turn, there was growing competitiveness in the quality of research being published over the period. Around the same century, Germany was making important interactions with the international community. Some of her scholars were moving to other countries where they interacted with foreign inventors and assisted in setting up some of the most memorable inventions of the century. For instance, it was only after inventing the Friedrich Gottlob and Andreas Bauer returned to Germany and set up their own press-manufacturing business. Such scholars/ inventors had accumulated vast experience that they brought back home and invigorated the local scientific arena. Consequently, the country’s scientific arena was significantly developing towards accommodating more research interests. These would later lead to the involvement of social researchers in scientific research, like was the case of Wundt (did laboratory experiments for psychology research – thereby integrating science into a field largely considered an art). The consequence of the improved research furthered interest in human sciences, which were at the time only considered as a branch of philosophy. At the time, there was no official recognition for other art-related fields of study. As such, studies into psychology was still very rudimentary. In fact, the experimental laboratory setup by Wundt was the result of various inventions in the scientific front. The technological inventions enabled him to continually accumulate experience testing aspects of the human mind. He could also publish his studies for wide circulation, which saw his work get wider readership and more acceptance for psychology. Social Conditions Several social conditions were responsible for the emergence of psychology as a unique field of study distinct from philosophy. Some of the social conditions were firmly grounded upon interactions between Germans and foreigners. The country was largely divided across regions, and philosophers were looked upon to unify the country through developing such philosophic strategies as would promote uniqueness and nationalism. At the same time, a great deal of research was going into studies on the human brain – why people often make particular patterns of decisions, what controls decision-making across individuals and how much predictable a person would be in making a particular pattern of decisions. Critics, including Wundt suggested that matters of existence and the human brain were largely unrelated. As a result, they started looking for specific distinctions between the two fields, which they eventually did when Wundt separated psychology from philosophy. Philosophic Conditions The open type of approach to philosophical phenomena was indeed the catalyst for the observed development in the field of psychology. Wundt was not prevented from furthering research into philosophy, which saw him eventually wander into the field of psychology. The openness in philosophical approaches bred various beliefs that were subjected to scientific and theoretical investigations. Collectively, they led to the emergence of psychology as a separate field of study. Such scholars as Karl Marx were already cultivating a culture of nationalism that was widely taking effect throughout the country as Germany continued to interact with other countries. Equally important for the philosophy of nationalism were attempts to unite the country together in the face of growing hostilities with some of her neighbors, including France. By this time, several influential philosophers with own brands of philosophy had cropped up. At the time, the government had turned to the influential scholars to try and unite a divided nation. Intermittently, they studied human character and the philosophical nature of humans to make decisions. Later, Wundt would successfully convince the world of philosophers on the distinctiveness of the “mental state of a person” (translated to be psychological aspects of the individual) and the “nature of human existence, knowledge, values and such other aspects of reality”. Wundt’s Understanding of Psychology and How He Ran the Experimental Lab Wilhelm Wundt is credited with opening the Institute of Experimental Psychology at the University of Leipzig in 1879 (McLeod, 2008). The laboratory was setup in such a way that measure and control would be the focus of his experiments. Wundt’s understanding of psychology can partly be deduced from the way he reacted to Avenarius’s and Willy’s criticisms denoting a crisis in psychology (Mulberger, 2012). In his interpretations, his deep borrowing of ideas from philosophy is still evident. Critically, he can be said to have relied upon philosophy to respond to questions on psychology – thereby drawing a vague line between the two fields he helped separate. At the turn of the 20th Century, it is clear that his perceptions about psychology were still heavily borrowed from the more profound field of philosophy. Wundt was a proponent of empirical research; research that is based on understanding drawn from experimental psychology. In his attacks to the criticism offered by Willy, he is adamant that results that shape the way we think are different from thought-out trajectories that constitute the path taken by individuals who think in a particular way (McLeod, 2008). As such, he was cognizant of the distinction between experimental and theoretical foundations, and the need to complement each adequately with the other. References Banyard, P. Davies, M. N. O, Norman, C. & Winder, B. (2010). Essential psychology: A concise introduction. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. 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Retrieved from www.intelltheory.com/wundt.shtml (Accessed 5th December 2014). Robinson, D. K. (1987). Wilhelm Wundt and the establishment of experimental psychology, 1875-1914: The context of a new field of scientific research (Doctoral dissertation). University of California, Berkeley. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2006). Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt. Stanford University. Retrieved from plato.stanford.edu/entries/wilhelm-wundt/ (Retrieved 5th December 2014). Read More