Phrenology as a field of study, is it more of philosophical, neurological or religious.

[Weirdmaskman]

Phrenology {from greek word phrên, "mind"and logos "knowledge"} is a branch of science {pseudoscience} that deals with the measuring of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localised specific function or modulus.

Following the materialist notions of mental functions originating in the brain.

Phrenologist believe that human conduct could best be understood in neurological rather than philosophical or religious terms.

QUOTED FROM WIKIPEDIA http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/phrenology.

[Phi for All]

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Moderator Note

Since phrenology is NOT established science, I am moving this thread to philosophy.

[Weirdmaskman]

!

Moderator Note

Since phrenology is NOT established science, I am moving this thread to philosophy.

 

ok! That has simply answered my question.

[Phi for All]

You can still discuss its impact on neurology studies. I just can't leave it in an established science section where some student might see it and draw the wrong conclusions.

[Schrödinger's hat]

Phrenology {from greek word phrên, "mind"and logos "knowledge"} is a branch of science {pseudoscience} that deals with the measuring of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localised specific function or modulus.

Following the materialist notions of mental functions originating in the brain.

Phrenologist believe that human conduct could best be understood in neurological rather than philosophical or religious terms.

QUOTED FROM WIKIPEDIA http://en.m.wikipedi...iki/phrenology.

 

ok! That has simply answered my question.

Hahah, I probably have almost the same answer for you as Phi did, but I'll expand on it a little more.

 

I'd place it in the same category as homeopathy. It's definitely not science, it's also not neurology as the shape of the head does not reflect the structure of the brain to a significant enough degree to determine personality traits and similar. I suppose you could squeeze it into the heading of natural philosophy if you made your definition wide enough, but most people I know have a separate category for these things which they call psuedoscience.

 

I don't really have a word for the subset of psuedoscience that I put homeopathy in, but I can describe the similarities:

 

Something that was fashionable and considered right by reasonably mainstream groups at some point, but is based on a mechanism that does not match anything known to modern science.

For phrenology this mechanism is that the structure of the brain is reflected in the shape of the outside of the head. Barring outliers this is not usually true.

They propose to make testable predictions based on observable phenomena, but the predictions or parameters of the observations are often vague enough that it is impossible to design a good experiment.

As a result they share a lack of any evidence produced under the modern scientific method supporting them.

Edited September 16, 2011 by Schrödinger's hat

[Weirdmaskman]

A million thanks to you, (Phil for all) and More thanks to schrödinger's hat too for the detailed explanation.

I think my question has been properly answered.

 

A million thanks to you, (Phil for all) and More thanks to schrödinger's hat too for the detailed explanation.

I think my question has been properly answered.