How are Psychology and Philosophy alike?

If in a previous article we review some differences between psychology and philosophy, in this we will see the points in which both disciplines are deeply related.

I propose seven things in common between the two, although it is very possible that there are more.

Similarities Between Psychology and Philosophy

So let's start: how are both disciplines similar?

1. They share their roots

The psychology It has its origin in an ancient tradition of philosophers and thinkers. In fact, the word "psychology" means soul study, something that at the time the philosophers of ancient Greece were in charge. Aristotle, for example, dedicates an entire treatise to his concept of what psychology is, the Peri Psyche.

So that, psychology was a branch of philosophy for centuries, until the concept of "soul" was redefined, which was an idea linked to mysticism, to transform it into theoretical constructs accessible from scientific methodology.

2. They share a certain speculative character

Philosophy could not be understood without

speculation, that is, the creation of theoretical constructs not empirically verified through science that allow the solution of contradictions. For example, Discards He proposed a theory according to which the body and the soul are part of two different planes of existence to explain why sensations can mislead us.

Similarly, much of the history of recent psychology includes the creation of new theories about our way of thinking and feeling that, lack of having much evidence in their favor, they have either been discarded or serve to formulate hypotheses and seek empirical support through they.

3. They share study themes

Both disciplines address issues such as perceptions and sensations, the memory and the intelligence, the nature of the conscious mind, the will and relationships with others, although they use different languages ​​and methodologies in their research.

4. They share the problem of the body-mind relationship

Historically, philosophers have been in charge of proposing theories and synthetic explanations about the distinction between body and soul and, in fact, from there comes the conflict between the monism and the dualism that characterized thinkers like Avicenna or Descartes. Psychology has inherited this debate and has entered it using new methodologies.

5. Philosophy Lends Psychology Categories to Work With

Traditionally, psychology has functioned from notions and concepts inherited from philosophy. For example, the philosophical tradition of Illustration made psychologists initially think of the human being (or, rather, man) as a rational animal with great voluntary control over the appearance of feelings and moods, although this is a way of conceiving our species to which psychoanalysts and, later, neuroscientists, have faced.

In the same way, the category of what the "will" is has been clouded with a certain mysticism, as if the human brain received orders from a control center that is not very clear where this. This is the fruit of a dualistic philosophical tradition.

6. Philosophy also thrives on psychology

As some of the objects of study of psychology and philosophy are so similar, philosophy is also capable of "translating" psychological discoveries and pass them to your scope of study. Thus a relationship of interdependence is established between philosophy and psychology. The philosophical aspect of embodied cognition, for example, always has one foot on the latest research on the feedback process between the brain and the rest of the body. Similarly, the philosophy of mind is constantly updated with the discoveries of psychologists and neuroscientists.

7. Both can have therapeutic purposes

Many great philosophers believed that the ultimate goal of philosophy is do good to the human being, either by bringing him closer to the truth and enabling an intellectual emancipation or helping him to achieve the thoughts and states of mind necessary to face life in the best possible way. The stoics and the thinkers of the epicurean school They are classic examples of this type of philosophers.

As far as psychology is concerned, its therapeutic application is well known. In fact, there is a stereotype that the sole purpose of psychologists is to offer therapy. Even if this is not the case, it is clear that knowing the rationale behind the appearance of thoughts and affective states is a great advantage when it is convenient to tackle certain mental problems and emotional