AP PSYCHOLOGY

RESEARCH METHODS THINKING CRITICALLY WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND DESCRIPTION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which philosopher is most well known for theorizing that the mind at birth is tabula rasa or a “blank slate”?
A
Plato
B
Aristotle
C
Immanuel Kant
D
John Locke
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -In Locke’s philosophy, tabula rasa was the theory that at birth the (human) mind is a “blank slate” without rules for processing data, and that data is added and rules for processing are formed solely by one’s sensory experiences.

Detailed explanation-2: -John Locke, as perceived by your senses. In his brilliant 1689 work An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Locke argues that, at birth, the mind is a tabula rasa (a blank slate) that we fill with ‘ideas’ as we experience the world through the five senses.

Detailed explanation-3: -"Blank slate” is a loose translation of the medieval Latin term tabula rasa-literally, “scraped tablet.” It is commonly attributed to the philosopher John Locke (1632-1704), though in fact he used a different metaphor.

Detailed explanation-4: -According to blank slate theory, the mind is completely blank at birth. From there, education, environment, and experiences – which are external, as well as material and/or immaterial – shape the child’s process of development. This leaves a lasting effect on who they become.

There is 1 question to complete.