Wilhelm Wundt

In 1879, German psychologist Wilhelm Wundt unveiled "experimental" psychology to his students at Leipzig University, declaring the study of the soul a "waste of energy" and Man was nothing more then an animal. By redefining Man's problems in biological terms, Wundt and his fellow psychologists were able to place the treatment of such problems, and the funding for it, firmly within their own ranks.
Wundt's new "science" in describing Man as an animal that could be manipulated as easily as a dog could be trained to salivate at the sound of a bell, found great favor with governments. His theories fueled the ambitions of Germany's "Iron Chancellor", Otto Von Bismarck, who sought control of the masses to feed his war machine.
Although the "man is an animal" theory is easily disproved - dogs do not drive cars, horses will never paint masterpieces and concertos have yet to be performed by an orchestra of monkeys - psychology and psychiatry adopted Wundt's theory as truth.
Man was declared "victim" of his environment and was said to have little conscious control of his own thoughts and actions. However, psychology and psychiatry have yet to scientifically isolate one biological cause of unwanted behavior, or offer a workable cure.

As a closing statement for today's blog, here is a quote from Wilhelm Wundt in 1911:
"The soul can no longer exist in the face of our present-day physiological knowledge."