Skinner reminds us:
It has always been the unfortunate task of science to dispossess cherished beliefs regarding the place of man in the universe
The Experimental Analysis of Behavior is one exception!
Man’s place can assuredly be seen as central on Earth - if not in the universe. With regard
to the 1970 critical reflections on psychology, habitat and attitude can improve and cautious optimism is now warranted:
We have a psychology whose foundation is based on a philosophy on cause-and-effect adopted by physics long ago; not only is this foundation viable, the conception of its analytical units - lively, sentient organisms - is as appropriate as ever. We have findings relevant and meaningful to man, based upon experiments that study typical and representative samples of subjects who listen and believe what we tell them; data can be analyzed and interpreted correctly and conclusions are drawn with proper substantiation in special education.
As the authors have clarified, this portrait is neither over- nor understated - for every claim is firmly based in reality. Looking at the quality and quantity of such endorsements, one may be optimistic with respect to more freedom and dignity.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, 10 December, 1948
Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
The facts are, human beings are born as babies; and all babies are born equally innocent.
Behaviorists may counter faith in punishment for ‘original sins’ and theory on genetic anomaly, brain functions and racial inferiority. For one thing, scientists could guide animals in the lab, see them go to and fro, observe where they stay, trusting and confident. Then, loving neighbors may not be necessary, empathy may suffice for a spirit of brotherhood to develop: common loss, mutual interests and identical goals, make allegiance more likely too. Third, from data on normalization, sanity becomes easier to identify. Rather than punishing offenders, again and again, and taking law abiders for granted - time after time - one can see how good the normal is and remember the millions who want to get home in one piece and dream of a more moderate life-style for their young.
‘How to act wisely?’, might be answered by ecologists and operant scientists in collaboration.
‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’ Helen Keller.
Practical ideas can cross social communicative bridges as well. In the words of R.W. Emerson:
‘We can find our biography in every fable that we read.’
‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’ Helen Keller.
Practical ideas can cross social communicative bridges as well. In the words of R.W. Emerson:
‘We can find our biography in every fable that we read.’
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