Psychology as Science and Non-Science and Aristotle's Views on Emotions

Week 4 Assignment: Knowledge Review #1
The Knowledge Review covers concepts from Weeks 1-4.
Please respond to each question with a minimum of 250 to a maximum of 300 words and a minimum of 4 academic sources.
Knowledge Review Question

Response

Discuss 3 ways psychology can be described both as a science and non-science.

Psychology can be described as a science because it utilizes empirical evidence. Empiricism indicates that the only source of knowledge originates from our senses (Hossain, 2014). Initially, the existing view was that knowledge could be gained solely via reason and logical argument (rationalism). However, the empirical approach became popular and influenced the development of physics and chemistry. The fact that Psychologists utilize empirical methods to study topics of interest helps demonstrate that it is a science. Empirical approaches entail the processes of collecting and organizing data and drawing conclusions. Here, scientists follow scientific approaches to obtaining and analyzing data before coming up with conclusions. To the extent that psychologists use empirical evidence, their findings may be scientific. Additionally, empirical knowledge is scientific because it entails what has been proven to be true.
However, psychology is not science because it does not meet major scientific rigor requirements, clear terminology, and quantifiability. For a body of knowledge to be considered a science, it must have clearly defined terminologies. For instance, what is the correct definition of happiness? The subjective nature of the definition means that it is challenging to establish a clear definition. This is because the meaning of happiness differs from one individual to another, particularly in different cultures. Regarding quantifiability, it is impossible to measure some psychological concepts. For example, what is the correct way of measuring happiness? Since there is no established method of quantifying phenomena in psychology, this denies the possibility of viewing the discipline as a science.

Discuss Aristotle's views on emotions. Identify 3 ways that Aristotle's views on emotions influence the practice of psychology today.

Aristotle held that emotions were one of the major ways to fulfill an individual's life. A person must act on emotions to be fulfilled. Life is a mixture of both good and bad things, and emotions are an effective way for people to interact with such times (Cooper, 1996). Further, Aristotle considers emotions as purposeful responses to the individual's world. He sees them as an inherent part of our moral reasoning and being and should be considered part of moral deliberation. Emotions should not be considered external but rather inherent in all individuals. It is therefore critical for people to appreciate that emotions are necessary.
Firstly, Aristotle's view on emotions is instrumental in how psychologists promote positivity through their daily sessions. Positive psychology's primary purpose is to encourage individuals to discover and develop their strengths instead of putting more effort into correcting shortcomings. Because of Aristotle's view on emotions, psychologists appreciate the essence of life experiences that alter emotions. Hence, ...