Summary of Chapter Two: The Scholars

During the Hellenistic era in Greece, psychology remained a part of the field of philosophy. It was divided into three schools of thought: Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics. The main doctrine of Epicureans identified two passions, known as pleasure and pain, of which only pleasure is natural to our nature. Thus, the goal of life was to seek out moderate, tranquil pleasures while simultaneously avoiding intense delights such as gluttony, excessive sexual intercourse, and power conquests. These goals are steeped in the beliefs of apatheia and ataraxia. These beliefs are precursors to the modern law of reinforcement, which is considered the fundamental mechanism of learning. Skeptics believed that there was no way to know for sure whether human perception was truthful in reporting reality, which made it impossible to determine whether any one action was right or wrong in comparison to another action. Stoicism believed it was possible to achieve tranquility by controlling emotions. The logical mind had total control, and emotions such as pleasure only made a person vulnerable. Galen, a citizen of Rome, was the first to make a substantial contribution to psychology by observing a woman’s pulse accelerated in relation to the presence of men, a condition he called lovesickness. As Christianity became increasingly popular, Patrists used psychology to defend their Christian beliefs. They debated the ways in which the soul is linked to the mind and body. One Patrist, St. Augustine, stated that the physical condition of the body is able to influence the soul or mind and vice-versa. He also observed how the senses play a significant role in memory formation. Around 1225, St. Thomas Aquinas subdivided the functions of the psyche and defined two kinds of intellect. The first kind was a judgment based on initial perceptions and the second kind was concerned with more abstract ideas based on initial perceptions. Social changes during the 15th century brought the first major advances in psychology since the ancient Greeks. A 1520 manuscript by Marulic was the first to start using the term ‘psychologia.’

Reference

Hunt, M. M. (1993). The Scholars. The Story of Psychology (pp. 64-99). New York: Anchor Canada.