isua-isnscatalog-1891-1892-055

Description:	54 ANNUAL CATALOGUE.PSYCHOLOGY.The first attempt in entering upon a psychological investigation is to rid the student of the idea that the subject-matter ofPsychology is something foreign and external to him, as is thesubject-matter of Chemistry, Botany, Geography, etc. He isfirst to be impressed with the idea that in this subject he ispeculiarly entering upon a study of himself. He is to becomeacquainted with introspection as an instrument of self-examination. Self-activity and spiritual freedom are discussed to theextent of giving the student a general grasp of their nature,and he is led to look upon mind as an energy possessing self-activity as its essential characteristic and freedom as its destiny.This standpoint as to the material with which Psychology dealshaving been gained, and introspection as an instrument of dealing with it having been comprehended, the student is led toobserve the various particular activities of his mind in order todetermine the fundamental move or process present in everymental phenomenon. Succeeding this view, the relation ofmind and body, the various modes of investigating mental phenomena and the special relation of mind to the purpose and processes of education receive consideration.METHOD.Under the subject of Method there is first a discussion of thegeneral nature of method. This discussion, while recognizingthat the term method is usually applied to means, devices, external modes of doing, etc., seeks to limit it to the necessarymental process involved in thinking the object of investigation.According to the view presented, method is not an externalthing, a device, an external mode of action, an outline, a diagram, a mode of questioning, such as the Socratic Method,the Laboratory Method, etc. Outlines, diagrams, laboratorywork, modes ot questioning, special modes of dealing with thealphabet, with words, with sentences, etc., are held to be external means and not method. In the discussion the idea isadvanced that method is a mental thing, that it is the necessary
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/33670
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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