Beyond Freedom and Dignity"In this profound and profoundly challenging book, the great behaviorist B.F. Skinner, regarded by many as the most influential and controversial living psychologist, author also of the celebrated utopian novel Walden Two, makes his definitive statement about man and society. Insisting that the frightening problems we face in the world today can be solved only by dealing much more effectively with human behavior, Skinner argues that our traditional concepts of freedom and dignity must be sharply revised. They have played an important historical role in man's struggle against many kinds of tyranny, he acknowledges, but they are now responsible for the futile defense of a free and worthy autonomous man; they are perpetuating our use of punishment and are blocking the development of more effective cultural practices. Basing his arguments on the massive results of the experimental analysis of behavior in which he pioneered, he rejects traditional explanations of behavior in terms of states of mind, feelings, and other mental attributes in favor of explanations to be sought in an individual's genetic endowment and personal history. He tells why, instead of promoting freedom and dignity as personal attributes, we should direct our attention to the physical, and social environments in which people live. It is the environment that must be changed rather than man himself if the traditional goals of the struggle for freedom and dignity are to be reached. A technology of behavior able to solve our problems by effectively changing the world in which people live will, in its turn, raise frightening questions. Will men become robots? Or victims? Or merely passive spectators? Who is to design that brave new world of the future? Can we count on his benevolence, or will a technology of behavior necessarily mean a new kind of tyranny? These and many other questions concerning so-called "value judgments" are squarely faced. The book forces us to look afresh at ideals we have taken for granted and to consider the possibility of a scientific approach which, though it may at first seem incompatible with those ideals, will enable us to avoid the destruction toward which we are now speeding and ultimately to build a world in which mankind may reach its greatest possible achievements."--Jacket. |
From inside the book
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Page 70
... behaved badly and hence have never been punished and who be- have well without following rules . Jesus is usually por- trayed as such a person . We infer a lesser goodness in those who behave well , but only because they have been ...
... behaved badly and hence have never been punished and who be- have well without following rules . Jesus is usually por- trayed as such a person . We infer a lesser goodness in those who behave well , but only because they have been ...
Page 90
... behave well with respect to his fellow men as he had learned to do when exposed to their approval and disapproval ; he would work productively and carefully and exchange things with others because of their natural values ; and he would ...
... behave well with respect to his fellow men as he had learned to do when exposed to their approval and disapproval ; he would work productively and carefully and exchange things with others because of their natural values ; and he would ...
Page 92
... behave by prompting him ( for example , when he is not able to solve a problem ) , or by suggesting a course of action ( for example , when he is at a loss as to what to do ) . Prompts , hints , and sug- gestions are all stimuli ...
... behave by prompting him ( for example , when he is not able to solve a problem ) , or by suggesting a course of action ( for example , when he is at a loss as to what to do ) . Prompts , hints , and sug- gestions are all stimuli ...
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Common terms and phrases
action admired analysis appear arranged attack attributed autonomous aversive avoid become behave better biological called cause child concerned consequences contingencies course culture dangerous depends direction economic effective environment escape ethical evolution example explain fact feelings follows forms freedom freedom and dignity genetic give given human behavior important individual induce inner intentional kind less literature live look maintain matter means measures ment mind moral move natural object observed operant organism person physical play positive possesses possible practices problem punishment punitive question reach reasons reinforcers relation remain responsible result rules scientific seems selection sense simply social solve speak species stimuli student survival teacher tell theory things tion traditional turn usually verbal wrong