Exam 1 (1)

Major Limitation of the Concept of the Soul as an Explanation of Behavior

• Lack of empirical measurability:

  • The concept of the soul is traditionally viewed as an immaterial, unobservable entity.

  • It poses challenges for scientific study and does not relate directly to observable behaviors.

• Modern Psychology Responses:

  • Psychology adopts behaviorism, emphasizing observable behavior, and cognitive science, focusing on mental processes with measurable models.

  • Theories like biological and evolutionary psychology aim to explain behavior without invoking the concept of the soul.

  • Despite challenges in explaining consciousness, these theories rely on empirical evidence.

Descartes'