philosphy of psychology

http://www.williams.edu/philosophy/fourth_layer/faculty_pages/jcruz/courses/philofpsych.html

UP students are taught to have an open mind. So i really tried to compose myself while reading this article and reminded myself to keep an open mind. psych majors, read it for yourselves.

i know that since i haven't taken anything like that yet, i have no right to judge it. but being a student from the discipline the they seem to be belittling by the phrasing of the questions, i couldn't help but feel a wee bit indignant. i really value my discipline and i see it as something that could be really helpful in society in various ways. the data gathered from psychological research has much to contribute to different fields--from the law, to the medical practice, to the educational system, to business and marketing, to architecture, to handling human resources, to engineering, to sports science, to mass communications, to the military... TO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. (and mind you, a good number from the aforementioned list cannot be comprehensively covered by neuroscience--something that the writer seems to insinuate that could have had already taken the place of psychology).

then again, i might be overreacting.

though i do honestly appreciate philosophy and i enjoy the classes, here's one final note:

AS PROVEN BY NUMEROUS STUDIES, there are just some things that do not seem logical, but are true. in short, not everything can be deducted by logic.

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BUT YEAH. then again,
(1) I have yet to read sufficient material on that field (philo of psych)
(2) I should keep an open mind on different perspectives :)

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Here is a quote from the article. Better read the whole thing. And read some more ;)

" On the surface, there is something strange about psychological claims. Psychology tells us that the complex behavior of human beings (and other sophisticated creatures) is mediated by seemingly unobservable mental states playing a role in seemingly hidden mental processes. What gives contemporary psychologists confidence in this account? Are these mental states made of matter? If they are, why are they not directly observable? If they are not, why should we believe in them? Are mental processes 'just' chemical processes? If they are, is psychology a kind of crude biochemistry? Or is it a really sophisticated biochemistry? Will psychology ultimately be replaced by neuroscience? (Indeed, has it already been replaced by neuroscience?)"

--> NOTICE, though, that in the beginning of the paragraph, there's the phrase "on the surface." At least, that's a good assertion. ALL THESE ARE JUST "ON THE SURFACE."

before any criticizing any matter, you can't just "know a bit about it." there is the danger of misinterpretation. indeed, you must FULLY know what it's all about.

And that is the very reason why i'm going to defer judgment until after i've read enough. (gut reactions lang naman kasi ang mga nauna kong sinabi.)

snippets of warmth

my yaya, ate fe, amazes me. she's got lots to juggle, and yet she still manages to do her job well. i remember, during one of the times when i felt like i was at my lowest, she empathized. i felt how concerned she was. i somehow feel guilty because i tend to rely on her way too much. and yet she still does everything with a smile. and then some more. like today. my room was still a big mess when i left. the closet, the floor, everything. when i got here, woah. one thing off my to-do list.

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the people who make our lives easier deserve a heartfelt expression of gratitude :)

give them a hug today :)

transition phase

bittersweet goodbyes.

dear moonlight, shine brightly for me tonight.

say goodbye. and love me still 'til the morning light.

the one after that... and the next... and the next...

the memories here, we both know, belong to the best.

katipunan at night. this is my view from our condo window.

words are not enough, really.

last week, i cried over the fact that my brother's no longer staying with me. i'm going to miss having him and jester (our cousin) around. we barely really get to interact since i've always been a busy bee, but still. it was a love-hate relationship. but boy, did i cry HARD last week.

this sunday, when we emptied the room, i tried not to cry. so instead, i took pictures of the place. there are so many memories in that room. i left the bouquet my boyfriend gave me for our anniversary. (trivia: i keep bouquets. the ones i got from the past, i still have them. i'm sentimental like that.) anyway, it was some sort of offering/symbolic thing.

moreso, it was one of my "LET GO" moves. i'm currently trying to not be overly sentimental. to learn to let go and MOVE ON. my boyfriend got a bit disappointed at first that i didn't even keep a single petal as a "souvenir" from our first year together. HAHA. (yes, he is sentimental like that, too). but then he understood.

"...And yeah, for a brand new, better year ahead :) We've made many mistakes in the past. here's to a fresh start :)" -me to him.

i've got so many things to do, but i'm giving myself time to deal with my feelings. hey, it's not easy. i need this. i need this. i remember when i left chesca's apartment. we cried. now, i had no one to cry with. then, i had kin for company. now, i'll be dealing with total strangers. i hope they'll love me there HAHA.

elevator.