In a chemistry class, Mrs. Margaret asks the class the best way to describe sodium carbonate. Students give varying answers. Malik says the best way to define sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) is to break it down into its necessary components. According to him, sodium carbonate comprises atoms—sodium, carbon, and oxygen. Malik's view of sodium carbonate is a classic example of structuralism. According to Mehrad (2018), Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Bradford developed structuralism to analyze adult minds in terms of definable components. According to the philosophers, a human mind encompasses three components that are also referred to as structures—sensations, images, and affections (Mehrad, 2018). On this line of thought, sodium carbonate is best described using its structures.
Functionalism
As Malik defines sodium carbonate using its structures, Deborah disagrees, saying the best way to define the chemical is to analyze its purpose. According to Deborah, sodium carbonate is a chemical widely used in processing food, softening water, electrolytes, and swimming pools. Both of the students are right. While Malik views the chemical from the point of view of structuralism, Deborah defines it through functionalism lenses. Proponents of functionalism have an opposing view of the mind from structuralists. They believe the mind is identified by what it does instead of what it is made of (Henley, 2018). Functionalism posits that an object is more than the parts that come together to form it.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Materialism
Judith says she loves her boyfriend Xavier, something that interests her friends. Elsa, her best friend, asks her what she understands about love and why she loves Xavier. According to Judith, she loves her boyfriend because of the gifts he gives her, the car he drives, and his career, among others. In other words, Judith values love on material things she benefits from. This is an excellent example of the philosophical idea of materialism. According to the concept, all facts are causally dependent upon physical processes or reducible to them. As such, love is not a product of feelings of affection, happiness, and the likes but an indication of material interactions.
References
Henley, T. (2018). Hergenhahn's An Introduction to the History of Psychology . [VitalSource Bookshelf]. Retrieved from https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781337671255/
Mehrad, A. Appraise to Social Psychology, Structuralism, Behaviorism, Gestalt Psychology, and Psychoanalysis. Retrieved from https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/
Taylor, S. (2017). Moving beyond materialism: Can transpersonal psychology contribute to cultural transformation. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies , 36 (2), 147-159. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/
