Premium Essay

The Idea Of The Blank Slate Analysis

Submitted By
Words 356
Pages 2
1. What is the idea of the "blank slate"?

The “blank slate” is based on the idea that the human mind is a blank slate and all of its structure comes from socialization,culture, parenting, and experience.

2. What are some of the reasons to doubt that our minds are "blank slates"?

Pickner says many people have told him that, anyone with more than one child knows that kids come into this world with certain temperature and talents. Any couple in a heretosexual relationship knows that the minds of men and women are not indistinguishable.

3. What are some of the political or social appeals of the "blank slate" idea?

Pickner acknowledges that if we are all blank slates, then we are all equal. However, if something is written

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

John Locke

...John Locke's contributions in Philosophy and political views are followed and practiced even to this day. Locke’s ideas influenced religion, economics, political change, theories of knowledge and the human understanding that led to governmental and social improvements. John Locke believed in political reform. John Locke is one of the most influential authors and political philosophers in history. His ideas and views have influenced such momentous commodity such as the American constitution. Many of Locke’s ideas were used in the creation of the United States Constitution. John Locke was a British philosopher and medical researcher. Locke was born to Agnes Keene and John Locke on August 29, 1632, in Somerset, England. His father was a Puritan lawyer, who served as a Captain during the English civil war. Locke’s schooling began at Westminster School in 1647. He earned the title of King’s Scholar, which prepared him for the next phase of his education at the Christ Church in Oxford in 1652. He studied literature, physical science, medicine, politics, and natural philosophy. In 1656 he continued for his Master of Arts degree. In 1665 at Oxford, Locke encountered Lord Ashley, a notable statesman looking for medical treatment. After a friendship formed, Ashley invited Locke to join him in London as his personal physician. Locke agreed and left for London in 1667, where he lived for the next eight years. This was the beginning of Locke’s deep political interests, which was...

Words: 2488 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Nature vs. Nuture

...Nature vs. Nurture Troy Crosland WGU Issues in Behavior Science GLT1 Nature vs. Nurture Issues concerning the nature vs. nurture debate are amongst the oldest in science. This debate centers around the argument of biological and genetic contributions as opposed to those imposed on human development from environmental factors. Many scholars such as Descartes and Plato suggest many of our individual traits are inherited from our parents, they happen naturally regardless of any influence from our environment. John Locke and many other prominent thinkers have promoted the idea of tabula rasa (blank slate), which promotes the idea that when born our minds are like a blank slate ready to be shaped by experience and influence from our environment. (Cherry, 2011, p. 1) The controversy surrounding the nature vs. nurture debate is over whether children develop various attributes based on their genetics known as “nature” or is it more associated to how they are raised which is know as “nurture”. (Sessions & Larson, 2011, expression 1) So why does it matter if we are born intelligent, or become intelligent? There are many reasons the nature vs. nurture debate continues, her are a few reasons: * Parenthood/Relationships: If specific attributes are due to environmental factors (nurture), parents and educators can implement the most effective methods discovered in order to get the best results. If said attributes are determined to be more influenced by genetics (nature)...

Words: 1115 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Nature vs Nurture

...Nature vs. Nurture - Twin Studies Eimy Ramirez PSY304 Prof. Reed April 11, 2015 Abstract The exponential growth of scientific and biological knowledge over time has facilitated the genesis of fields of specialization, namely biological determinism, sociobiology and eugenics, just to mention a few. The common thread between these fields is their proponents collectively postulate that all human traits, including weight, strength, intelligence, aspects of personality such as temperament (aggression for example), criminality and morality, are ultimately determined by the information encoded in DNA. They espouse that "we are who we are" because of our genes solely; that biodiversity in man is ultimately precipitated by phenotypic variations, caused by purely genetic differences, amongst individuals, therefore ostensibly offering little or no gravity to non-genetic factors. Non-genetic factors, generically labelled as the environment, encompass not only the physical, chemical and biological criterion, but also the numerous social and psychological ones that shape our lives as we grow and mature. Can we seriously take the influence of the environment, an intangible but nonetheless powerful force we experience every single day, out of the equation? Are we really who we are simply because our genes deem it so? What happens when you examine twins who have the same genes but were raised in different environments? Nature versus Nurture For years, the...

Words: 2605 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Paper

...The Communist Manifesto Analysis The Communist Manifesto is basically a mission statement of the authors Karl Marx and Frederick Engels for a revolution. In The Communist Manifesto Marx and Engels make a call for all proletarians, or workers to unite against the Bourgeoisie, or the owners of the factories during this time. Marx and Engels along with the proletarians, were against the Bourgeoisie due to their exploitation on the workers in the factory. Marx and Engels believed that society adapts and evolves throughout time. Yet, to change there needs to be an upset or revolution in order to do so. Such as, the change from a feudal society to a capitalist society was caused by the French Revolution. Through class struggle and revolutions Marx and Engels plan to unite the proletarians and remove the bourgeoisie from power and in doing so, they will create a communist society which seeks to eliminate inequality and classes. The communist society would be defined as a utopian society in which society benefits from means of production. Marx and Engels show negative aspects of human nature, but also discuss how to bring out the positive aspects of human nature. The Communist Manifesto was published in 1848. This was during the time of the industrial revolution in Europe. The industrial revolution started in Britain and had a massive change and influence on how things could be mass produced, making the factory owner receive profits faster. This also caused problems in Europe as...

Words: 1725 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Nt1310 Unit 1 Programming Assignment

...software solutions built by other programmers. I am excited to explore the various methods and solutions used to build programs. I foresee that I will be able to apply the fundamental thinking pattern that I learn from this course to help me dissect problems effectively. Curiosity and patience are personal attributes that are required to be a good programmer. I possess these attributes and feel empowered when I program. Taking a blank slate and building solution to a problem or automating a manual process is challenging and rewarding. I foresee that exceptions can be frustrating but the reward of the program working as intended is exciting. Collaboration amongst peers is also required as sharing ideas will develop skills. I have also come to the realization that I am ready to be a life learner. What I learn today is only a building block for what is ahead. Programming challenges the thought process as I come to see that there are a variety of integration points to consider. Each of those integration points will require analysis and research to complete the work. So it is not limited to just the functional solution but I must also learn about the subsystems supporting the solution. I am eager to learn the concepts and how I apply it to the next subject. At the present time, I am eager to learn how I can create an object that can be re-used by other developers and how I can integrate with an existing object. This is truly an exciting course and look forward to...

Words: 510 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Descartes and Heidegger

...coordinate system which helped scientists use mathematics to model the physical world. One of his influences on today’s world is his philosophy of mind, dualism, where the mind is a nonphysical substance. Descartes proposed that reality consists of two separate realms: a physical realm and a mental realm. The physical realm is the realm of matter and energy. Its properties can be measured and studied by science. Everything in this realm operates only by mechanical properties. Descartes included the body as part of the physical realm, viewing it as a biological machine with no free will. Descartes’s view that the body is a machine has led a mechanical approach in medicine, because Descartes views technology as separate from ethics. This idea is prevalent in today’s philosophy – computer science majors are not required to take a morality course. This means technology is being developed without ethics. This is a dangerous stance. As Heidegger points out, “everywhere we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it.” Therefore, ethical technology needs to be addressed. But to address this issue, one must also consider how humans arrive at technology in the first place. Epistemology is the theory of...

Words: 1184 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Hospitality Information Systems and Users Paper

...Hospitality Information Systems and Users Paper Kim Sullins BIS/303 October 26, 2015 Craig Wheeler Hospitality Information Systems and Users Paper Inventory tracking is the controlling and overseeing of storage and the ordering of components that many companies use in producing items. Inventory tracking used also for overseeing and controlling of finished products for sale. A company’s inventory is their investment and a part of their assets that has sold and used in the company as part of its production. Inventories that are mismanaged may create sizeable financial and inventory problems for companies, whether the mismanagement results in an inventory shortage, over inventory and loss in possible sales. The two types of inventory tracking used are Perpetual and Periodic. In a perpetual (usually used in supermarkets or department stores), a continuous flow of inventory count is tracked using a point of sale (POS) check out system. This system is perfect for companies to manage what has sold and reorder when a reorder point has reached. Another advantage of this system is its ability to account for shrinkage (theft) and inventory turnover. The periodic system (used in smaller retailers) used to take a physical count of inventory at periodic intervals to...

Words: 1087 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Thomas Jefferson vs. John Locke

...separation from the British Empire to the world. America is defined by the men and the minds, behind the declaration; most notably by the author, Thomas Jefferson. The boundaries of the government and rights of its citizens were crucial during the formation of this constitution since these principles were exactly the reason for the uprising of the original thirteen colonies. Thomas Jefferson dedicated most of his life to the crucial needs of America and its government in order to form a true republic of the people. Like many of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson strengthened his beliefs through personal studies and deep examination of European history. Many history books will tell that the contributing factors that formed Thomas Jefferson’s ideas of the identity of America were linked to events such as the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the British Country party. However, one man’s works continually surfaced in Jefferson’s political and even private writings. John Locke, a British Enlightenment philosopher, was repeatedly referenced in documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Notes on the State of Virginia, and the Summary View of the Rights of British America. Jefferson repeatedly used Locke’s concepts as would even sometimes use the exact same phrases. This would make Thomas Jefferson, the first ever American to plagiarize! The irony in this is that America was just now forming its own personality, one separate from Britain, but the concepts and beliefs that helped...

Words: 1314 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Persuasive Essay: Natural Law of Right from Wrong

...that encompass social behaviour: First, the personal domain, where individuals have preferences for things that have no factual measurements (for ex: gum over lollipops). Secondly, the domain of social conventions, where rules could be different and it wouldn't make any difference and thirdly the moral domain, where behaviours and intrinsically right or wrong. In cultures around the world people are accustomed to the idea that people are in authority of them and rules enforced by that authority. In my essay, an argument will be made that morality and law are not independent of each other by examining the teaching of morality to children, who is to blame for children behaviours and the religious morality of the ‘Ten Commandments’. Before it can be determined if one has morals, one has to know exactly what morals are. Lord Devlin, in an essay "Morals and the Criminal Law" in The Philosophy of Law (ed R.M Dworkin), Oxford (1977) at p 74"Society means a community of ideas; without shared ideas on politics, morals and ethics, no society can exist. Each one of us has ideas about what is good and what is evil; they cannot be kept private from the society in which we live. If men and women try to create a society in which there is no fundamental agreement about good and evil they will fail; if, having based it on common agreement, the agreement goes, the society will disintegrate.” "For society is not something that is kept together physically; it is held by the invisible bonds of...

Words: 1637 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Nature vs Nurture

...Nature vs. Nurture There is an issue that has been conferred upon by philosophers in the past and still so by scientists today. This issue is whether heredity or environment plays a greater role in the determining or shaping of an individual's behavior. It is known as the nature versus nurture debate. Numerous generations before us have deliberated on the reasons behind the development of human behavior. There have been many theories formulated to explain why humans behave the way they do. The surviving theories for behavior derive from physiological and sociological explanations. However, the two explanations have not always been compatible with each other. The famous nature vs. nurture debate over human behavior resulted from conflicting views between proponents of the physiological (nature) and sociological (nurture) explanations. Throughout history, research has swayed popularity back and forth between the theories. Yet, theorists have broken down the line separating nature and nurture. As of today, people utilize both explanations to explore human behavior. Way before our time, early philosophers endeavored to understand the human behavior. As early as 350 BC, such philosophers as Plato and Aristotle tried to understand behavior. The question of nature or nurture as the primary drive can be traced to these times. Plato believed behavior and knowledge was due to innate factors. Author Fiona Cowie states, "The claim that the character of our mental furniture is to...

Words: 1605 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

John Locke and Behaviour

...It was hypothesized by John Locke, that an individual begins life as a tabula rasa or ‘blank slate’. Locke presented in 1690, Essay Concerning Human Understanding, which argued an originary state of formlessness (R. Duschinsky), whereby the mind is receptive to learning, but experience is the determinant in attaining knowledge. Locke’s behaviourist perspective favours the role of experiential growth (nurture), over genetic predisposition (nature), in the development of human behaviour. This notion is inaccurate, as in actuality, the shaping of human behaviour does not rely solely on learned experience. Human behaviour is in fact a mutual interaction of both genetic and environmental factors, with genetic predisposition playing a substantial role. It was argued by G.W Leibniz that an individual inherently contains the sources of various notions which external objects merely rouse up on suitable occasions. This essay will concur with Leibniz’s philosophy that in fact it is the interplay of individual nature and nurture which drives the development of human behaviour, in particular, antisocial behaviour, to in turn, contradict John Locke’s tabula rasa hypothesis. Antisocial behaviours are disruptive acts characterised by hostility, intentional aggression towards others and destructive behaviour. The behaviour includes repeated violations and definance of social rules and authority, and a reckless disregard for self and others. It is characterised by deceitfulness and theft, and...

Words: 1501 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Study Habits

...behavior analysis (ABA) is a science that involves using modern behavioral learning theory to modify behaviors. Behavior analysts reject the use of hypothetical constructs[1] and focus on the observable relationship of behavior to the environment. By functionally assessing the relationship between a targeted behavior and the environment, the methods of ABA can be used to change that behavior. Research in applied behavior analysis ranges from behavioral intervention methods to basic research which investigates the rules by which humans adapt and maintain behavior. A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake.[1] There are many types of daydreams, and there is no consistent definition amongst psychologists.[1] The general public also uses the term for a broad variety of experiences. Research by Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett has found that people who experience vivid dream-like mental images reserve the word for these, whereas many other people refer to milder imagery, realistic future planning, review of past memories or just "spacing out"--i.e. one's mind going relatively blank—when they talk about "daydreaming."[2] Habits (or wonts) are routines of behavior that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously.[1][2][3] Habitual behavior often goes unnoticed in persons exhibiting it, because a person does not need to engage in self-analysis when undertaking...

Words: 2917 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Behavior Management

...Behaviour Management Introduction: * first port of call should be school code of discipline * aim of most successful behaviour management strategies is to emphasise the positive and reduce incidents of negative behaviour Emotional Development: * teachers can play a vital role in the emotional development of pupils * by focusing on creating emotional competence in pupils, a lot of behavioural issues can be prevented * modelling pro-social behaviour such as appropriate facial expressions and tone of voice can be effective in doing this, the opposite is also true * by over reacting to an undesirable behaviour, the teacher is reinforcing that behaviour Self-Esteem * A lot of bad behaviour is rooted in low self-esteem * pupils with repeated experience of rejection/failure respond by attention seeking and disruptive behaviours * self-esteem linked to gap between an individual’s self image and their ideal self * self-esteem is an evaluation of out traits and characteristics * Laurence (1996) indicates correlation between teacher and student self-esteem * teachers in powerful position to influence academic and emotional development of pupils * creating warm positive and caring classroom environment is important * talking to pupils about their interests/families/hobbies can help to gain an insight into the pupil and deal with self-esteem issues * use emotional vocabulary in the classroom * encourage the vocalisation...

Words: 1454 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Study Guide

...MGMT591 Final Exam Study Guide YOU MAY WANT TO PRINT THIS GUIDE. 1. The Final Exam is "open book, open notes." The maximum time you can spend in the exam is three hours, 30 minutes. If you have not clicked the Submit for Grade button by then, you will be automatically exited from the exam. In the Final Exam environment, the Windows clipboard is disabled, so you will not be able to copy exam questions or answers to or from other applications. 2. You should click the Save Answers button in the exam frequently! This helps prevent connection timeouts that might occur with certain Internet service providers, and also minimizes lost answers in the event of connection problems. If your Internet connection does break, when you reconnect, you will normally be able to get back into your Final Exam without any trouble. Remember, though, that the exam timer continues to run while students are disconnected, so students should try to re-login as quickly as possible. The Help Desk cannot grant any student additional time on the exam. 3. See Syllabus "Due Dates for Assignments & Exams" for due date information. 4. Reminders * You will only be able to enter your online Final Exam one time. * Click the Save Answers button often. * If you lose your Internet connection during your Final Exam, logon again and try to access your Final Exam. If you are unable to enter the Final Exam, first contact the Help Desk and then your instructor. * You will always be able to see...

Words: 1634 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Total Quality Management

...TQM Research Paper Introduction The past two decades have witnessed the rise and fall of countless short-lived fads. Some have attracted a flurry of book, articles, and seminars; others have been completely discredited. Businesses have realized that there is a need to restructure their business practices and become more customer-focused. All recent business approaches and techniques have generally aimed at improving performance, increasing profits, gaining market share, and most importantly satisfying the customer who has become more educated and more demanding than ever. In the last two decades two organizational development models have dominated the business world for a considerable period of time namely Total Quality Management (TQM) and Business Process Reengineering (BPR). Statement of Objective This paper aims to shed a novel light on the two most recent and prominent management approaches, namely TQM and BPR. In an attempt to examine the interaction between radical BPR and incremental TQM with respect to change management, I shall briefly discuss the two constructs and contemplate the roots and basic tenets that underlie each. BPR has been referred to in the literature as “the successor” of TQM and has been treated as an equal. I shall treat the similarities and common grounds among the two, as well as the differences between them. Next, I shall touch upon the weaknesses and highlights that distinguish each, and then move on to construct an integrated model in an...

Words: 7625 - Pages: 31