An Intellectual History of Psychology
Twenty years in the making, including two prior editions, this work conveys a deep, calm mastery of the subject. Philosopher and psychologist Robinson (Toward a Science of Human Nature, Columbia Univ. Pr., 1982) guides the reader from the pre-Socratics to Skinner, passing through Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Luther, Kant, Spinoza, Nietzsche, and many others, including Weyer, Mesmer, and Charcot. Along the way, Robinson convinces the reader that "the view of reason and appetite as opposing forces is as old as the Homeric epics and as current as psychoanalytic theory." He also raises questions about the darkness of the "Dark" ages and the brightness of the Renaissance. Convinced that "psychology is the history of ideas," Robinson treats every idea and every sentence with critical respect, making this a standard-setting book that is also a pleasure to read.?E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, D.C.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.