The Great Ideas of Psychology

by Daniel N. Robinson

Professor Daniel N. Robinson presents ideas, speculations, and point-blank moral questions that might just dismantle and rebuild everything you once thought you knew about psychology. The four paperbacks are the Lecture Transcript and Course Guidebooks that support the DVD course ( only the paperback guidebooks are offered for sale in this listing).

Genres: Psychology, Science, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Audiobook, History, Education

Audio CD

Published January 1, 1999

About the author

Daniel N. Robinson is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Georgetown University and a Fellow of the Faculty of Philosophy, Oxford University.

Robinson has published in a wide variety of subjects, including moral philosophy, the philosophy of psychology, legal philosophy, the philosophy of the mind, intellectual history, legal history, and the history of psychology. He has held academic positions at Amherst College, Georgetown University, Princeton University, and Columbia University. In addition, he served as the principal consultant to PBS and the BBC for their award-winning series 'The Brain' and 'The Mind', and he lectured for 'The Great Courses' series on Philosophy. He is on the Board of Consulting Scholars of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions and is a Senior Fellow of BYU's Wheatley Institution. In 2011 he received the Gittler Award from the American Psychological Association for significant contributions to the philosophical foundations of Psychology.

Reviews

[Katia N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prof Robinson has appeared to be amazingly charismatic lecturer. I’ve listened to this on my walks for about a month and never got tired. The lectures are very interesting, easily accessible but also are far from trivial. He covers the ideas and thinkers from Ancient Greece to circa beginning of our millennium. Only place though where it was little outdated is on the subject of artificial intelligence. His consideration looks a little native compared to what we know now. But this makes his reasoning even more interesting with the benefits of hindsight. I would recommend it to everyone one who wants to get a good overview of the subject in an enjoyable way.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel Robinson is my favorite Great Courses lecturer. His wit, humility, and brainpower bring a fun edge to every half hour in this 48 lecture series on the history and philosophy of psychology. The lectures begin in Ancient Greece when humanity first began a systematic evaluation of our behavior. In each installment, Robinson puts the listener into the social context that gave rise to ideas about psychology that we dismiss today (eg phrenology, behaviorism). Suddenly, one realizes that modern accounts of the "causes" of human behavior remain so far from providing a comprehensive and useful framework for confidently understanding and predicting what we do that laughing at phrenology seems arrogant.

[Michael Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview course on the big philosophical ideas in the history of Western philosophy. Dr. Robinson is a lively teacher, and one can hear that he definitely enjoys his subject. He is not afraid to call Darwninism, Marxism, and Psychology what they are: a philosophy. Due to some of the more advanced terms and ideas mentioned in this series, I would not call this a basic philosophy course; perhaps a second semester philosophy course.

I enjoyed the early (Ancient period) lectures and the last 10 lectures (which are more topical lectures, rather than a strict timeline of philosophers) the most. Regarding the Ancient period, Alfred North Whitehead once said, "All of Western philosophy is but a footnote to Plato.” I would add Aristotle, and say that both those men's names and ideas come up throughout the whole lecture series. A few reviewers on Audible have claimed this is a "biased Christian" series. However, I am uncertain where they are getting this idea. Dr Robinson does consider Augustine and Aquinas philosophers, but most secular philosophy courses would recognize that fact. Perhaps it is because Robinson dares to critique Darwinism and Freud? Or perhaps because he believes in God? Or perhaps in the last lecture on God, Robinson mentions his views on the problem of free will and problem of evil. He seems to posit a Molinist view to the free will problem. I would not say the series teaches nor agrees with a biblical Christianity, but rather 99% of the time it covers the views of the philosopher being discussed, not the lecturer.

My main criticism (a rather small one too) is that there was no lecture on postmodern thinking. I recommend this lecture series to the student of philosophy, or to the Christian that is interested in how the world thinks.

[Hossein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to the immense field of Psychology with a touch of Philosophy. It covers a wide range of subjects without going really deep in any of them. The fact that it's a bit old does not matter, because it mostly explores the history of Psychology.

[Mohammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a great lecturer. most books and courses on the subject have a "scientific" attitude to them, specially the "overview" ones, but this guy adds a philosophical sugar which doesn't hurt those of us who pat themselves on the back for being intellectually deep.

[ExtraGravy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great lecture series. Daniel N. Robinson is a great speaker, clever and insightful.

[Frank Haug · Rating 4 out of 5]

This presenter is obviously very well read and has extreme breadth and depth of knowledge. I enjoyed the significant incorporation of philosophy, and historical considerations. It was different than what I thought, I expected more of a biological bent, or more about sort of various psychological disorders or something, but it is really more of just a history of psychology and its development and main theories and waves. Still very interesting and thought provoking.

[Robin Mydlak · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic series of lectures. It would more appropriately be named 'The Great Ideas of Western Civilisation', briskly wading through everything from epistemologigy and ethics to personality types and obedience. The lecturer is eloquent, funny, and erudite in a spectrum of disciplines that is breathtaking. Read this if not for psychology, then for general culture. And then read non-Western sources, because they clocked a lot of this much earlier.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to Parts II and III (not Part I or Part IV).
Robinson is good when he stays at a high level (e.g., his discussion of Piaget was excellent). Robinson's extensive detail on various experiments and research findings and obscure personages of minor note was deadly. While highly articulate, his professorial manner of talking seemed overdone and was distracting.

[Nosemonkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, simple overview of the whole history of psychology in 48 half hour lectures (albeit with a lecturer who speaks so slowly you can easily put it on 2.5x speed if a native speaker). It may be from 1997, so a bit old now (which in turn makes me feel old...), but has a decent accompanying PDF with summaries and further reading for each lecture which looks like a decent resource. Good stuff.

[Gabriele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to give 6 stars or more, most informative and at the same time entertaining

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheesh! This course wasn't a simple "here's a bit of background on Freud and gestalt" kind of course. I had no idea what we were going to cover in 48 lectures, but I was fascinated to learn the true basis, breadth, and questions of psychology. This book delivers in that area.

I thought the book had a slow start- covering esoteric topics that I didn't quite understand. After the first four lectures, I finally started to connect with the material. During each lecture, I only caught a handful of the main ideas (rather than the extensive depth of each), and that was perfect for me. And, frankly, I want more.

In addition to the specific 'hard facts' of psychology, Dr. Robinson also gives plenty of examples, of colors, of relatable episodes that give context to the material.

Dr. Robinson speaks in a way that I had to get used to. American, but almost British. Each lecture starts with a brass introducti0n and applause. I found all these things to be a bit "hoity-toity" for my taste, but I eventually got used to them and could focus on the material. While it felt very thorough, I always had to think just to understand the communication style and the topics. This wasn't, a quick "Oh, I get it!" and move on. There was always more, and sometimes it was hidden behind formal language (although correct and accurate). Having latched onto his style, I'd consider reading another of his courses if any exist.

I occasionally read the supplementary material -- the most I have read for any of the great courses. It summarized core of each lecture; gave key questions you should be able to answer; identified supplementary reading; and even had bibliographies. Really well done.

I would recommend this to anyone seriously interested in psychology. Again, while it's an introduction to psychology as a whole, it's taught ad t a level that requires some erudite engagement. Colloege-courseish rather than 10-minute YouTube.

[Doug Sleeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you managed to escape courses in Philosophy in high school or college (like I did), this should be required reading for being a thoughtful human.

From the earliest recorded philosophers (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle), to mythology and religious philosophy, to developments in science of the ages, this audio book takes you through essentially all of human development for the past 2500 years. I'll be re-reading this many times in the years ahead.

From the intro:
"We can identify three overarching issues that consume much of the subject matter of philosophy:
the problem of knowledge, the problem of conduct, and the problem of governance.

The first is the problem of knowledge is straightforward. How is it that we come to know anything? On what basis do we undertake to frame and seek answers to questions? Long before the appearance of philosophy, people facing the challenges of daily life were required to seek knowledge, if only practical knowledge. In philosophy, the problem reaches beyond the practical
and the everyday to more general and abstract realms.

The second overarching issue is the problem of conduct is nothing less than the problem of deciding how one’s life should be lived. How should I conduct myself in such a way that my life is a satisfying one? How will I be able to act in a way that maximizes pleasure and minimizes pain? What sort of person should I strive to be? What’s the nature of the relationships I have to others?

And finally the third, were there no basis on which to plan or conduct a course of life, there would be no real “problem” to be solved politically. The problem of governance arises in light of conflicts at the level of conduct. On what basis does a people come to understand itself as a people? What is the basis on which modes of leadership are chosen? What is the basis on which leaders are resisted, revolutions staged, radical upheaval fomented?

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the Great Courses series, this is an audiobook recording of 48 half-hour lectures given by Professor Daniel N. Robinson, who was a professor of psychology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. when this programme was recorded in 1997. Starting with the ancient Greeks, it tracks development of the philosophy behind attempts to understand human behaviour and how it eventually became a science, then goes on to explore various branches of the field, including the physiology and chemistry of the brain, developmental psychology, criminal psychology, the madness of crowds, psychopathology, psychotherapy, morals and ethics, experimental procedures, and much more.

The course is very impressive. Professor Robinson manages to pack a lot into what are supposed to be introductory lectures. With a delightful enthusiasm that never wavers, he deftly moves from one topic to the next, explaining its key principles and illustrating various points with practical examples of psychology operating in real life. He peppers his speech with humorous asides that sometimes sound dated but rarely fall flat, usually prompting a chuckle, and a few are even laugh-out-loud funny.

I have a degree in psychology, so of course quite a lot of it was familiar, but there were some details I’d forgotten since my undergraduate days and a few fascinating surprises I hadn’t heard before. If you’re interested in the study of human behaviour, this would be an excellent place to start.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Daniel N. Robinson takes listeners on a fulsome and fascinating journey through the evolution of the major ideas in the field of psychology. He begins by defining the subject and then moves through Greek Philosophers and Physicians or ancient foundations, Minds Possessed, The Emergence of Modern Science, the three “Isms” or Empiricism, Rationalism, and Materialism. Memorable lectures include Learning and Memory: Associationism-Aristotle to Ebbinghaus; Watson and American Behaviorism, B.F Skinner and Modern Behaviorism, Language, Integration of Experience and many others which he presents with humor and passion for the topics. There are a total of 48 lectures and they do require careful listening as they are information dense but very illuminating and worthwhile. If you are interested in psychology, especially the history and the different view and ideas, this book on CD series is a fine investment of time.

[John-Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing summary of the history of psychology and the main ideas that have arised throughout the ages. It starts with ancient Greece, and most importantly: why it starts there and not somewhere even older. It asks if psychology is a science and also what science is. The author is also the narrator, which has a nice speaking voice and an entertaining way of speaking. He doesn't involve his personal opinions unless to say that he doesn't believe there might be an answer to certain questions ("is it nature or nurture?", etc). I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in psychology to get an overview of all the big ideas like Skinner, Freud, Plato, and a myriad of interesting experiments about all aspects of cognition.

[Cgirardmd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Great Courses lecture series presented by the same professor as the Great Ideas in Philosophy series that I listened to last year. Robinson is one of my favorite lecturerers and an old-breed ivy league intellectual, and these lectures are excellent. Each one serves as a quick sketch of a particular concept over 30 minutes, and the course book provides recommended reading for each one. These lectures mirrored my Psychology 101 class at FCC pretty closely, although Robinson comes at things from much more of a philosophic perspective than a biological one; indeed, there is a good deal of crosstalk between these lectures and the Great Ideas of Philosophy series.

[Akbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Menurut saya, tujuan buku The Great Ideas karya Dion Yulianto itu untuk memperkenalkan berbagai ide besar yang mempengaruhi cara kita berpikir, dari filsafat, sains, seni, sampai budaya. Buku ini juga mendorong untuk berpikir kritis, Buku ini ngajarin kita buat lebih kritis dan reflektif tentang ide-ide yang udah membentuk dunia. Serta buku ini menunjukkan pentingnya Ide dalam Kehidupan Sekarang, Gagasan-gagasan besar itu ternyata masih relevan dan berpengaruh di kehidupan kita sekarang. Jadi secara keseluruhan buku ini ingin nambah wawasan kita tentang pemikiran manusia dan ngajak kita untuk lebih menghargai ide-ide yang udah ada.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Robinson's course offers a basic introduction to some of the central ideas in psychology. Due to the nature of this intro course, it never gets into much depth, but offers a broad survey going back to the classical origins of interest in the mind and up to the 20th century. Psychology is an intersectional discipline, and as such, Robinson's journey spends plenty of time also discussing biology and philosophy, so much so that what exactly "psychology" is is up for debate. This is the "Intro to Psych" class you never took.

[Ashoke · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Mr. Robinson strives to be neutral his leanings towards a deterministic approach to psychology and admiration for Aristotle does color his views on alternatives schools of psychology and philosophy. Further I suspect a similar effort by a younger, say Gen Xer might produce a dramatically different view of the ebb and flow of this rather fraught subject.
However Mr. Robinson self deprecating sense of humor and core humanity does shine through in these lectures. RIP Prof. Robinson.

[Daniil Lanovyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've listened to those lectures right after the ones on neuroscience and I have to say these I enjoyed far less. I thought it would be a structured overview of major psychological ideas but instead, it's more of a digest of some thoughts around psychology and philosophy. I also felt the lecturer had an own agenda he tried to instil throughout the series. Still, there is a lot to learn from those lectures and even if not brilliant - they're good.

[Kristi Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this class as it seemed more to be a philosophy course than a way to treat psychological problems. I have heard other courses by Daniel N Robinson and this one he used some of the same stories he used on the Brain.

This is a 48 lesson course so it takes time to listen. It wasn't what I was looking for.

[Michelle Halliwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Robinson is brilliant. He is one of the people who I am in love with for teaching me so much. I can't believe he does this lecture and his philosophy lectures. This man is an absolute giant. Another thing that I love about him is that he respects religion.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating is for my enjoyment, not necessarily the course itself. If you're new to psychology, I imagine this could be quite interesting. Alas, between basic psych 101 type knowledge and paying attention in high school, I barely learned anything new at all. Just not the course for me.

[Victor N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thorough and thoughtful lecture series. The lectures go down some paths that I believe are a bit narrow but they aren’t particularly influential on the overall excellent quality of the series. I really like the philosophical vein throughout this series.

[Andrew Schaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great info on psychology. Interesting peaks into the history of different psychological views. Was a bit slow for me at times, and the language difficult as well at times. On the whole a worthy listen. The professor really knows his stuff.

[Ralph Trickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected
It's primarily a philosophy/history of psychology course. It was well told and interesting, just not what I expected.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating set of lectures... I have always wanted to know more about Psychology and this was an excellent first step.

[Brittany McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

listened as an audible (mostly walking to work)

Humorous lecturer :)

from Aristotle through the Milgrom experiments, learned a lot

[Fr. Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a bit dated now, but most of these lectures are exquisite.