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THE THEORY OF THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM: I. DESCRIPTION OF THE THEORY

Jarvilehto, Timo (1998) THE THEORY OF THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM: I. DESCRIPTION OF THE THEORY. [Preprint]

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Abstract

The theory of the organism-environment system starts with the proposition that in any functional sense organism and environment are inseparable and form only one unitary system. The organism cannot exist without the environment and the environment has descriptive properties only if it is connected to the organism. Although for practical purposes we do separate organism and environment, this common-sense starting point leads in psychological theory to problems which cannot be solved. Therefore, separation of organism and environment cannot be the basis of any scientific explanation of human behavior. The theory leads to a reinterpretation of basic problems in many fields of inquiry and makes possible the definition of mental phenomena without their reduction either to neural or biological activity or to separate mental functions. According to the theory, mental activity is activity of the whole organism-environment system, and the traditional psychological concepts describe only different aspects of organisation of this system. Therefore, mental activity cannot be separated from the nervous system, but the nervous system is only one part of the organism­environment system. This problem will be dealt with in detail in the second part of the article.

Item Type:Preprint
Keywords:Theory of mind - Situatedness - Organism and environment - Motor and sensory systems - Systems analysis
Subjects:Neuroscience > Behavioral Neuroscience
Biology > Behavioral Biology
Biology > Theoretical Biology
Psychology > Cognitive Psychology
Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy > Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy > Philosophy of Science
ID Code:362
Deposited By: Jarvilehto, Timo
Deposited On:19 Oct 1998
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:53

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