Refuting Skinner's Approach
as a Universal Explanation of
Human Behavior
Maybe Postmodernism
is a Good Thing???
What is Modernism?
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According to the 1913 edition of Webster:
\Mod "ern *ism \, n.Certain methods
and tendencies which ,in Biblical
questions ,apologetics ,and the
theory of dogma ,in the endeavor to
reconcile the doctrines of the
Roman Catholic Church with the
conclusions of modern science
,replace the authority of the
church by purely subjective
criteria ; -- so called officially
by Pope Pius X.
Modernism in Psychology
The endeavor to explain human behavior
in scientific terms, according to a
(generally) scientific principle, reducing all
of human behavior to that principle.
 Skinner is an example of this, and so is
Freud and others.
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Modernism and Truth
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Modernism -though it rebels against the
establishment, believes in its power to explain,
to (in psychology) find basic principles that
explain the whole of human behavior.
This is why, for example Skinner constructs a
utopian society in Walden II, or why he writes a
book like Beyond Freedom and Dignity that
addresses all social practices.
Modernism and Relativism
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Because in modernism, the various
explanations of human behavior are
generated by human beings, and not by
divine authority, modernism accepts a
multiplicity of points of view.
Is one point of view better?
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Modernism believes that points of view can be
compared and debated (as in the WatsonMcDougall debate)
They would see one point of view as perhaps
better grounded and closer to the truth.
Modernists still hold, at least implicitely, to a
concept of absolute truth. They disagree on
where is the most promising path to it.
Critiquing Skinner from a
Modernist Standpoint
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This type of critique admits of the
possibility of constructing an allencompassing theory, but points to
shortcomings, things that are not
included, important aspects of human
experience that are not included, that
Skinner chose not to study.
Examples of such critiques
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How would Skinner explain that when human
beings become aware that they are being
manipulated or conditioned, they can react
differently, and choose to change the ways in
which they behave?
How would you explain that children INSIST on
speaking in ways their parents never spoke to
them (ex: my foots) and never reinforced?
Important areas of life are ignored (motivation,
goals, dreams, thoughts) in his theory
How do such critiques stand?
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The reflectivity critique is pretty strong, but
could be explained away in terms of prior
training.
The language critique led to the SkinnerChomsky debate
Some behaviorists after Skinner have tried to
treat thoughts as behaviors. Skinner would say
that thoughts etc are epiphenomena.
How satisfactory are these
critiques?
Not very.
 The debate tends to stay open, with both
sides feeling they have won.
 The postmodernist critique is more
powerful.
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What is Postmodernism
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Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the
assumed certainty of scientific, or
objective, efforts to explain reality. In
essence, it stems from a recognition that
reality is not simply mirrored in human
understanding of it, but rather, is
constructed as the mind tries to
understand its own particular and
personal reality.
Postmodernism and Truth
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Postmodernism can be understood as a
"critique of the grand narratives" (Lyotard).
Because we live in a global world, we have
become aware of diversity, and we can see all
knowledge cannot all be put together in one
box, and put in order.
Postmodernism would deny one's ability to get
out of one's box and make valid generalized
pronouncements about the human condition, or
about absolute truth.
Postmodernist critique of
Skinner.
Skinner cannot get out of his "box" as a
controlled human being himself to make
general pronouncements about human
society and how it functions.
 Such statements, at their best, will only
have very partial applicability.
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How does this critique stand?
It does stand. It is the strongest critique.
 It allows for the partial usefulness of
Skinner's approach, but not for its allencompassing claims.
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What a relief! Hurray for
postmodernism!
Really?
 It questions your own favorite
psychological, scientific and theological
positions in the same manner.
 Are you comfortable with this? How do
you deal with this in the positions that
affect your own life?
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Postmodernism and Christianity
Here are some resources on
postmodernism from an evangelical
Christian perspective.
 http://www.apologeticsindex.org/p02.html
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THE END