At 9:52 AM -0400 4/27/99, Dr. Kristina Lewis wrote:>Well, guess what?
Yesterday, last class, I brought up the question again.
>Most of the students believe that psychology isn't "really a science"
>because "humans are too variable and you can't ever really understand what
>causes behavior" and "humans have too many choices". So what are we doing
>here folks? I feel like everthing I've said has rolled off their backs ( I
>also teach child development, in which I emphasize empiricism/scientific
>approach).
>
>If we can't convince psych majors that psychology is a science, is there any
>hope of convincing the world at large?
>
>Feeling discouraged.......
>
>Kris Lewis
You might point out Physics' problems with the three-body problem.
Then, talk about Biology as a more appropriate comparison than Physics,
since much of Biological explanation is also stochastic in nature.
The problem is the misconception of science as a body of 'hard' facts,
rather than as a self-correcting process.
* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* Psychology Department 507-389-6217 *
* "The University formerly known as Mankato State" *
* http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html *
