Editing Alexander Bain (philosopher) (section)

===Psychology===

Although his influence as a [[logician]] and [[linguist]] in grammar and rhetoric was considerable, his reputation rests on his works in [[psychology]]. At one with the German [[physiologist]] and comparative anatomist [[Johannes Peter Müller]] in the conviction ''psychologus nemo nisi physiologus'' (one is not a psychologist who is not also a physiologist), he was the first in Great Britain during the 19th century to apply physiology in a thoroughgoing fashion to the elucidation of mental states. In discussing the will, he favoured physiological over metaphysical explanations, pointing to reflexes as evidence that a form of will, independent of consciousness, inheres in a person's limbs. He sought to chart physiological correlates of mental states but refused to make any materialistic assumptions.<ref>Columbia Encyclopedia</ref> His idea of applying the [[scientific method]] of classification to psychical phenomena gave scientific character to his work, the value of which was enhanced by his methodical exposition and his command of illustration. In line with this, too, is his demand that [[psychology]] should be cleared of [[metaphysics]]; and to his lead is no doubt due in great measure the position that psychology has now acquired as a distinct positive science. Bain established psychology, as influenced by [[David Hume]] and [[Auguste Comte]], as a more distinct discipline of science through application of the [[scientific method]]. Bain proposed that physiological and psychological processes were linked, and that traditional psychology could be explained in terms of this association. Moreover, he proposed that all knowledge and all mental processes had to be based on actual physical sensations, and not on spontaneous thoughts and ideas, and attempted to identify the link between the mind and the body and to discover the correlations between mental and behavioural phenomena.

[[William James]] calls his work the "last word" of the earlier stage of psychology, but he was in reality the pioneer of the new. Subsequent [[Psychophysics|psycho-physical]] investigations "have all been in" the spirit of his work; and although he consistently advocated the introspective method in psychological investigation, he was among the first to appreciate the help that may be given to it by [[social psychology]], [[comparative psychology]] and [[developmental psychology]]. He may justly claim the merit of having guided the awakened psychological interest of British thinkers of the second half of the 19th century into fruitful channels. Bain emphasised the importance of our active experiences of movement and effort, and though his theory of a central innervation sense is no longer held as he propounded it, its value as a suggestion to later psychologists is great. His thought that a belief is but a preparation for action is respected by both [[pragmatism]] and [[Functionalism (philosophy of mind)|functionalism]].<ref>Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy</ref>