Describe the differences between “founding” and “originating” in science.
Wundt is considered as the founder of psychology, while Fechner is considered as the originator. There is a stark difference between these two terminologies. The basic difference is the contribution they are giving to the society.
The founder is the one, who integrates the knowledge and promotes the new organized matter. Founding a school of thought is an intentional and deliberate process. The founders need not have any brilliance in scientific fields. What they require, is the ability to sell the originators idea in such a way that it gets accepted by the concerned fraternity.
Considering Wundt’s contribution to experimental psychology, he is not credited for the discovery. He is famous because of the way he sold the idea, of experimentation in psychology. Founder and originator are both indispensible for the school of thought, just like a builder and an architect for making a building.
Wundt’s aim was to enhance the level of experimental psychology so much that it would be recognized as a new field. This is where Fechner and Wundt were different. Fechner had no interest in building up a new file of study. He was only interested in proving the interaction between mind and body.