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Allakhverdov V. M. (2018). Psychology as a science and the demarcation problem (article 1)

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JournalMethodology and History of Psychology Year2018 Issue1 Pages46–57
SectionSubject Foundations of Worlds Construction TypeScientific article DOI10.7868/S1819265318010041
CitationAllakhverdov V. M. (2018). Psihologiâ kak nauka i problema demarkacii (stat'â pervaâ) [Psychology as a science and the demarcation problem (article 1)] // Metodologiâ i istoriâ psihologii. Iss. 1. P. 46–57.




Psychology as a Science and the Demarcation Problem
(article 1)


The demarcation problem that allows to distinguish between scientific and non-scientific knowledge is severe in psychology now. This article discusses why it is impossible for science to be tantamount to truth. Moreover, the author argues that it is impossible to identify the only one criterion of cognitive activity effectiveness. The article describes and analyzes different variants of the demarcation criterion (scientific knowledge is only empirical knowledge, only consistent knowledge, only applicable knowledge). All those approaches play key roles in assessing science. However, it is not enough to draw a demarcation line between science and non-science (pseudoscience, junk science). But science can be measured through these criteria. The author tests psychology against these criteria. The next article continues this idea and proposes other understandings of the demarcation criterion.

Keywords: science; psychology; truth; obviousness; consistency; empirics; effectiveness


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