Like so many other psychological theoreticians his assertions are vague, generalized, usually abstract, rarely refer to exact situations, and far removed from any actual plan for detailed implementation of his ideas. In this way he is like so many other "ivory-towered" philosophers who can talk and talk, but fail miserably when dealing with actual life and people. As a note, he should have allowed his daughter a little freedom and dignity - she was brought up in a "Skinner Box" and committed suicide at age 20! This book helps the reader understand what inane ideas would lead a man to bring up his daughter in a "rat box". B.F. Skinner is another behaviorist who views Man as an animal, subject to the same laws of stimulus-response that he observes in his "rat boxes". Skinner makes no bones about it and flatly denies the existence of a "human mind", personal responsibility and any type of "inner personality". It is essential to understand Skinner to grasp where the current unworkable and basically degrading theories and methods of pseudo-scientific psychology and psychiatry come from. To him thoughts, will, intention, purposes and responsibility are meaningless terms which only "seem" to exist. He considers them tedious concepts which interfere with a "true" understanding of Man as a controllable animal devoid of a soul, mind and any ability to act on one's own self-determinism. The scary part of it all is that so many people believe this trash. Studying, following and implementing behavioral ideas eventually always leads to oppression and totalitarianism. Somebody will decide what behavior is desirable and "right", and they will use all their methods of manipulation to bring about the ideas, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors they desire. They don't ever attempt to appeal to understanding, intelligence or one's ability to learn. How could they? They don't think "you" exist. Not your mind, not your ideas, and not your choices - only your body and it's behavior is real to them. To the behaviorist all else is meaningless. Skinner is one theorist of many similar fools spreading the anti-mind, anti-responsibility, and anti-soul view of Man in modern times. He should be read with an aim towards understanding where modern thought has gone wrong. Behaviorism is one large example of this.
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