DOI
10.1002/1520-6696(198004)16:2<150::AID-JHBS2300160206>3.0.CO;2-1
Abstract
Herbart's mathematization of psychology is an important landmark in the history of psychology. The purpose of this article is to describe the general landscape within which this landmark was created and the specific foundation upon which it was erected. Besides Kant's classic statements on the nature of science, the “external” landscape included other landmarks in the historical quest for a mathematical science of man, while the “internal” foundation was composed of four basic concepts which Herbart received primarily from Leibniz, Wolff, and Kant. Herbart's unique contribution was his novel use of this foundation in creating a mathematical psychology.
Document Type
Restricted Article: Campus only access
Publication Date
1980
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 1999-2025 John Wiley & Sons, Inc or related companies. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies.
Recommended Citation
Leary, David E. “The Historical Foundation of Herbart’s Mathematization of Psychology.” Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences 16 (1980): 150‑163.
