It seems impossible to give a precise definition of the term philosophy and the teachings that are connected with it. Generally, philosophers’ concerns are questions for the reason and the origin of all being. In a way, these questions unite all of today’s arts subjects. As an effect, though, the boundaries between arts often become blurred, all the more since psychology from the early ancient world until the 19th century has merely been regarded as a philosophical field. With the emancipation of psychology as a scientific discipline on its own, teachings were partly in opposition to the traditional way of thinking, if being based on empirical evidence rather than theoretical considerations. Thus, fundamentals of human psyche happen to become a somewhat delicate matter.
With this paper I have touched philosophical and psychological problems using the example of B. F. Skinner’s “Beyond Freedom and Dignity”, trying to show the relationship and the margins of both fields.
The author – Burrhus Frederick Skinner (1904-1990) – is regarded one of the most radical ‘scientists’ among all psychologists. Skinner counts for a distinguished representative of a psychological theory that strongly tries to separate psychological findings from anything experimentally unobservable – (American) behaviourism. Nevertheless, Skinner’s book Beyond Freedom and Dignity of 1971 largely leaves out any details of experimental analysis and therefore approaches the question of ‘What is man?’ in a rather philosophical manner. The book represents a philosophical view on man from a behaviouristic perspective, providing a technology of behaviour to solve the problems of mankind. An approach that seems absurd but that mirrors the distinguished image of man of one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.
In fact, psychological authors rarely refer to Skinner's Beyond Freedom and Dignity because it does not directly relate to his psychological experiments. However, this paper principally serves to outline a psychologist’s attitude concerning the study of human behaviour in a philosophical context. That is, bridging philosophy and psychology using the example of behaviourism, moreover sketching the parallels between early empiricists and early behaviourists, providing a basic understanding for conceptual scientific ways of thinking. This also offers an unadulterated understanding of Skinner’s views, showing that behaviourism is prone to be discussed philosophically.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction...
- Behaviourism and the Work of B. F. Skinner
- John B. Watson and Classical Behaviourism – Basic Ideas...
- B. F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning – his Work and Applied Fields.........
- Misunderstandings and Skinner's Image of Man- a Philosophical Problem........
- The Empirical Origin
- Behaviourism and Locke's Epistemology..
- Behaviourism and Hume's Association Theory..
- Beyond Freedom and Dignity – a Summary
- Preface to this Summary..
- Chapter 1: A Technology of Behaviour...
- Chapter 2: Freedom...........
- Chapters 3 to 8: Of Dignity, Punishment, Values, and Culture...
- Chapter 9: What is Man?.
- Conclusion....
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to bridge the disciplines of philosophy and psychology through an examination of B. F. Skinner's Beyond Freedom and Dignity. It explores the relationship between behaviourism and the philosophical ideas of freedom, dignity, and values. The paper focuses on the philosophical implications of behaviourism, showcasing how a scientific approach to human behaviour can lead to a different understanding of human nature.
- The historical development of behaviourism and its key figures, including John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner.
- The relationship between behaviourism and early empiricist philosophers, particularly John Locke and David Hume.
- Skinner's philosophical critique of traditional notions of freedom and dignity.
- The implications of behaviourism for understanding human agency and values.
- The philosophical debate surrounding Skinner's concept of "a technology of behavior" and its potential impact on society.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter 1: A Technology of Behaviour: This chapter introduces Skinner's central argument that human behaviour is shaped by environmental contingencies and that a scientific understanding of these contingencies can lead to a "technology of behavior" for shaping society. This technology, Skinner argues, can be used to solve social problems and improve human well-being.
- Chapter 2: Freedom: Skinner critiques traditional notions of freedom, arguing that human actions are not truly free but rather determined by environmental influences. He challenges the idea of individual autonomy and suggests that our sense of freedom is often an illusion.
- Chapters 3 to 8: Of Dignity, Punishment, Values, and Culture: These chapters delve deeper into Skinner's philosophical ideas, examining concepts like dignity, punishment, values, and culture. He argues that these concepts are often based on faulty assumptions about human nature and that a more scientific understanding of behavior can lead to a more effective and humane way of shaping society.
- Chapter 9: What is Man?: In this chapter, Skinner presents his view of human nature, arguing that we are not inherently good or bad but rather products of our environment. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the environmental factors that shape our behavior and the potential for using this knowledge to create a better world.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key topics and concepts explored in this work include behaviourism, operant conditioning, freedom, dignity, values, human nature, environmental contingencies, technology of behaviour, and the philosophical implications of a scientific approach to human behaviour.
- Quote paper
- Christian Kuhn (Author), 2004, Bridging Philosophy and Psychology Using the Example of Behaviourism and B.F. Skinner's 'Beyond Freedom and Dignity', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/28678
