Философские науки/3. История философии

ph. d., associate professor, Sharova M. A.

Kaluga State University named after K. Tsiolkovsky, Russia

THE INFLUENCE OF PHILOSOPHY ON FORMATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

(ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT A.A. FISHER)

A. A. Fisher (1799 – 1861) - the founder of psychology in Saint – Petersburg Theological Academy (1843 – 1853), to justify the principles of the empirical approach: «Introduction to experimental psychology» (1839), «Opinion on the psychological theory of sense perception» (1840).

Engaged in scientific activities in the era of «persecution» in philosophy (40-60 – ies of XX century), he never sought to create a «philosophical system», considering the philosophical knowledge in the context of anthropology. «...the beginning and the purpose of philosophy, ... the discovery of a close connection with human nature that will be forced to agree that this is Science ... not an empty dream, from our imagination, and that even if it was only an empty dream, and even then we could not do it» [3, p. 45]. A. A. Fisher believed that theoretical philosophy can have direct outputs in the psychology and pedagogical practice. In the development of philosophical and psychological concepts he applied to the analysis of psychology textbooks: H. Wolf, I. Tetens, K. Schmid.

He showed that not only philosophy influenced the development of psychological science, but also from a psychological state of mind depends on the clarity of the «philosophical mind», the belonging to a particular concept. «... the path is psychological, consisting in the study of the highest requirements of our spirit ... the more reliable of all others can lead us to the idea of Philosophy» [4, p. 104]. To the psychological experience of the spirit, philosophy is able to correct the man's understanding of personal success. Philosophy he considered science, «rising above all private Sciences, leading to endless and forever samassekou, ... serving the crown and the Commission of human knowledge», and the value of philosophical and psychological knowledge seen in the disclosure of the «ideas of the Creator» [4, p. 105]. Region pairing of philosophy and psychology into anthropology with the idea of free human activity and the study of its essence. The task of experimental psychology is to engage in physical sphere of existence, which is the first stage of human cognition, while theoretical psychology is aimed at implementing more complex programs of moral and ascension of the human spirit (= consciousness) to the idea of the absolute. The thinker recognize the natural inequality of people in physical and spiritual forces, believing that an experienced psychology will help to streamline the relationship of social life: family is the people – the Motherland with the direct role of the Church. In his philosophy of Christianity was the authority, «the unseen host» connecting all of humanity with the idea of free will and moral choice. The semantic aspect of experimental psychology was the establishment of a balance between the moral independence of the person (= free will) and the widespread addiction to which it is put by the nature. The philosopher claimed that human free will is his independence in cognition and in action. Philosophical anthropology was based on the understanding of the natural limitations and the desire to go beyond rationalism. A. A. Fisher believed that it is not philosophical, but natural grounds the «brake» person in the implementation of moral choice, to know and overcome – the task of experimental psychology. But, at the same time, recognizing the limits of empirical knowledge (= experimental psychology) A. A. Fisher believed the priority of mind (= theoretical psychology) and the «positive authority». «The life of man, … taken both separately and in society, no doubt has a purpose, high and noble goal that positive authority can not deliver himself, but towards which it is recognized to promote in every way, ... because above us is dominated by invisible, all-conquering the highest moral order» [4, p.123 - 124]. Philosophy in its fundamentals makes up for the shortcomings of experimental psychology and gives General direction to the spiritual development of man. Character of his philosophical views was not a differentiation of spheres of knowledge and the hiving of the new nineteenth-century science of psychology, and a synthesis of the philosophical and psychological foundations in the area of anthropology.

The ambiguity of the views of A. A. Fisher was seen by his contemporaries and was interpreted as contradictory to the stated position of experimental psychology, claims to the status of fundamental science. It is clear from reviews of his book «Introduction to experimental psychology», presented as a report on the conference at the Moscow theological Academy (1839). Among the shortcomings of the concept of an experimental psychology of the thinker, a reviewer pointed out: 1) the lack of objectivity of human cognition empirically; 2) the lack of representation of his moral perfection to the idea of a Creator; 3) do not clear the ontological status of the immortal soul in a physical body. «To unravel and understand the person without the assumption of moral purpose, and regardless of the view of human life, wrote the reviewer, I think it means almost the same thing to unravel and understand the person not solving and not attaining it» [1, p. 11]. Modern researcher V. I. Kotsuba the inconsistency of the position of A. A. Fisher explains the reluctance to go beyond the hypotheses and the conditional items in the matter of understanding human nature [2, p. 152]. However, the objectivity of criticism of the views of A. A. Fisher, consider the era – the first half of the XIX century, when the philosophical and psychological issues is only beginning to take shape in a separate area of research and alternative approaches to the problem, as such, was not.

In «Introduction to experimental psychology», A. A. Fisher sought to develop a direction where evidence of results is not in doubt - experimental psychology, which will give a round of further development of the science. He wrote that for the researcher directly «sees such processes in man, such as: breathing, digestion, circulation of juices, the movement of muscles, etc., while thinking, knowledge, feeling, volition, and perceived only by the mind ... » [5, p. 4 - 5] and are the unknown sphere of the human psyche. Therefore, the scope of the study of physiology and psychology become an experimental observation of organic life. «Professing themselves to be experienced in Psychology, it is this limitation makes it clear that there is another speculative, metaphysical point of view, from which you can look at the life of the soul...» [5, p. 6]. Based on the binary of man: physicality, and spirit, A. A. Fisher talked about the tentativeness of scientific knowledge, produce hypotheses and experience of insufficiency before the laws of «higher thinking».

Analyzing the concept of idealistic psychology (J. Locke, J. Berkeley, D. Hume, I. Kant) and psychological materialism (F. Hobbes, Condillac, Helvetius, La Mettrie), he noted the psychological ambiguity of language, the formation of methodological base of psychology by an increment of alien elements.

A. A. Fisher showed that, on the one hand, psychology is often lost in physiological studies, based on the alleged similarity of the phenomena of the physical world with the spiritual. But on the other hand, empirical psychology, forgetting about the experienced nature of cognition, introduces the research questions the metaphysical plan that is specific to the realm of faith (the soul, free will, death, etc.). To physics psychology approximated that through sense-perception knows the matter, and to metaphysics – related to issues beyond the capabilities of empirical knowledge. In the spirit of science of the middle of XIX century A. A. Fisher put forward the requirement of experimental psychology: instead of hypothetical theories to present the true facts with the purpose of obtaining a solid basis for its further development.

The thinker pointed to the need for systematization of the psychology, because the terminology was reminiscent of «Babylonian confusion of languages» with limited work on empirical psychology.

Literature:

1. Report at the conference of the MDA. Case №. 9. 1839. Archive HMM. PRS RSL 172/9 №. 4.

2. Kotsuba V.I. The question about the experienced knowledge of man in the ecclesiastical – academic philosophy of the first half of the XIX century (A. Fisher) // Vestnik MGTU. 2011. №. 1. P. 150 – 154.

3. Fisher A.A. On the progress of education in Russia and participation, what should be the philosophy. Speech delivered at the solemn meeting of the St. Petersburg University, Professor of Philosophy, A. Fischer, September 20, 1834 // Journal of the Ministry of National Education. 1835. Part V. P. 50-91.

4. Fisher A.A. About the nature of philosophy and its relation to the positive credibility // Journal of the Ministry of National Education. 1845. Part XLV. P. 99 – 129.

5. Fisher A.A. Introduction to experimental psychology // journal of the Ministry of National Education. 1839. №. 3. March. P. 1 – 53.