Věda to je určitě, ale o čem? – Kosek Jan (2003)

To understand why one person behaves one way in the same situation while another behaves differently, why someone becomes a convinced racist while another becomes a similarly convinced lifelong philanthropist, why one person cares so much about their clothing while another would prefer to go everywhere in sweatpants, psychology provides us (and also sociology, law, medicine, etc.) with valuable insights. However, when utilizing these insights, we should not forget that without knowledge, they can easily become self-serving and lead us into a dead end. The chapter dealing with the history of the field maps the journey that psychology (initially as part of religion, philosophy, or medicine) has taken from ancient times to the present. The author devotes the most space to the founding figures of modern psychology (Wundt, James, Freud, Jung, etc.), but does not neglect ancient philosophers (Plato, Aristotle), Christian thinkers (St. Augustine), or representatives of Eastern religions (Buddha, Laozi). The book is written in a very accessible language and contains a number of illustrative examples from everyday life that will allow the reader to learn to better uncover the psychological meaning of various situations, thus getting beneath the surface of often seemingly incomprehensible behavior...