Overview:
I’m diving into a debate surrounding the origin of the term “psychology”. The article, written by K. Krstic, challenges the common belief that the term was first used by either German philosophers, Rudolf Göckel or Filip Melanchton, in the 16th century. Instead, Krstic presents strong evidence that Croatian poet and humanist Marko Marulic used the term “psichiologia” in his treatise “Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae” in the 15th century. This discovery shifts the historical understanding of the term’s origin significantly.
Main Parts:
- The history of the term “psychology”: This section begins by reviewing the widely accepted understanding of the term’s origin, attributing it to Göckel or Melanchton in the 16th century. It then presents evidence from dictionaries and encyclopedias that support this view.
- A deeper investigation: Krstic then undertakes a deeper investigation, reviewing various texts, including Melanchton’s writings, to find evidence of his use of the term. Krstic concludes that there is no evidence to support this claim and that, while Göckel is the first known author to use the term in a printed book, Melanchton’s use of the term is undocumented.
- Introducing Marko Marulic: Krstic then introduces Croatian humanist Marko Marulic, and the evidence that he used the term “psichiologia” in a treatise on the human soul. This evidence comes from a biography of Marulic written by his friend, Franjo Bozicevic, which lists Marulic’s works, including “Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae”.
- Examining Bozicevic’s evidence: The article then analyzes Bozicevic’s biography, exploring his reliability as a source and examining the evidence for Marulic’s work. Krstic suggests that Bozicevic, though not a perfect scholar, likely accurately reflected Marulic’s works.
- Marulic’s “psichiologia”: The article concludes by discussing the slight difference between Marulic’s term “psichiologia” and the modern term “psychologia”. Krstic suggests that Bozicevic might have made a slight orthographic error, but regardless, Marulic’s use of the term is significantly earlier than previously known.
View on Life: The article presents a view on life as one of intellectual exploration and pursuit of knowledge. Krstic demonstrates dedication to uncovering historical truths and challenges accepted narratives when presented with new evidence.
Scenarios:
- Scholarly debate: The article presents the scenario of a scholarly debate about the origins of the term “psychology”. Krstic, as a researcher, meticulously gathers evidence to support his claim.
Challenges:
- Finding evidence: Krstic faces the challenge of finding evidence to support his theory, as the text by Marulic is not yet discovered. This presents a challenge for validating the claim.
Conflict:
- Historical accuracy: The article presents a conflict between the commonly accepted narrative about the origin of the term “psychology” and the newly discovered evidence. Krstic challenges the traditional understanding by presenting new evidence.
Plot:
- The story arc follows a detective-like investigation: Krstic, like a detective, examines various sources, eliminates possibilities, and unearths new evidence. The climax is the discovery of Marulic’s use of the term.
Point of View:
- Krstic’s perspective: The article is written from Krstic’s point of view, as a scholar who is passionate about historical accuracy. He presents a persuasive argument for Marulic’s use of the term “psychology”.
How It’s Written:
- Academic style: The article employs an academic tone, using formal language and citing sources. This is demonstrated in phrases like “according to the present state of terminological-historical studies” and “no evidence has so far been found”.
Tone:
- Academic and objective: The article maintains an academic and objective tone, presenting facts and evidence without expressing personal opinions.
Life Choices:
- Choosing to investigate: Krstic’s choice to investigate the origin of the term “psychology” demonstrates a commitment to academic inquiry and truth-seeking.
Lessons:
- The importance of critical thinking: The article emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating existing knowledge and seeking out new information to ensure historical accuracy.
- The power of evidence: The article demonstrates the power of evidence to challenge established narratives and rewrite historical understanding.
Characters:
- K. Krstic: The author of the article, Krstic is presented as a dedicated and meticulous scholar who seeks to uncover historical truth.
- Marko Marulic: A Croatian poet and humanist, Marulic is credited with using the term “psichiologia” before Göckel or Melanchton.
- Filip Melanchton: A German philosopher, Melanchton was previously believed to have been the first to use the term “psychology”.
- Rudolf Göckel: A German philosopher, Göckel was previously thought to have been the first to use the term “psychology”.
- Franjo Bozicevic: Marulic’s friend and biographer, Bozicevic provides the key evidence for Marulic’s use of the term “psychology”.
Themes:
- The pursuit of knowledge: The article highlights the importance of continuous exploration and pursuit of knowledge in understanding the past and present.
- Historical accuracy: The article emphasizes the importance of challenging existing narratives and seeking out accurate information about the past.
- The power of evidence: The article demonstrates the power of evidence to change our understanding of the world.
Principles:
- Historical accuracy: The article is based on the principle of seeking out accurate information about historical events.
- Critical thinking: The article emphasizes the need for critical thinking and questioning existing knowledge.
Intentions:
- Krstic’s intention: Krstic aims to challenge the established understanding of the origin of the term “psychology” by providing new evidence.
- Reader’s intention: The reader’s intention is to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the term “psychology” and the importance of historical accuracy.
Unique Vocabulary:
- “Psichiologia”: This term, used by Marulic, stands out because it is a slightly different form of the modern term “psychology” and highlights the evolution of the term over time.
- “yucologia”: This term, used by Göckel, is the earliest known use of the word “psychology” in a printed book.
Anecdotes:
- The story of the discovery of Marulic’s use of the term: The article recounts the discovery of Bozicevic’s biography and the revelation that Marulic had used the term “psychology”.
Ideas:
- The article puts forth the idea that the history of the term “psychology” is more complex than previously thought.
- The idea is framed by presenting evidence that challenges the traditional understanding of the term’s origin.
Facts and Cindings:
- The term “psychology” was first used by Marko Marulic in his treatise “Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae”.
- Marulic’s use of the term predates the previously accepted first uses by Göckel and Melanchton.
- No evidence has been found to support Melanchton’s use of the term “psychology” in his lectures.
Points of View:
- Krstic’s point of view: The article is written from Krstic’s perspective as a scholar who is passionate about historical accuracy. This point of view shapes the article’s focus on presenting evidence to support the claim that Marulic was the first to use the term “psychology”.
Perspective:
- The article provides a new perspective on the history of the term “psychology”, challenging the previously accepted understanding.
- This new perspective is based on the evidence presented for Marulic’s use of the term “psychology”, which pushes the origins of the term back by several decades.