Eliezer_Yudkowsky comments on The Comedy of Behaviorism - Less Wrong

12 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 02 August 2008 08:42PM

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Comment author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 02 August 2008 09:21:25PM 2 points [-]

Per, see the SEP entry or Wikipedia entry on Behaviorism. Skinner, in particular, does appear to have espoused that version from what I can make out.

I don't expect there are many Skinnerian behaviorists left nowadays, but the memes are still floating around in fields outside psychology.

Comment author: DeeElf 19 September 2012 01:16:03AM *  4 points [-]

Really? "Skinnerian" behaviorism (Skinner preferred the term "radical behaviorism") is thriving.

The Perfected Self B. F. Skinner’s notorious theory of behavior modification was denounced by critics 50 years ago as a fascist, manipulative vehicle for government control. But Skinner’s ideas are making an unlikely comeback today, powered by smartphone apps that are transforming us into thinner, richer, all-around-better versions of ourselves. The only thing we have to give up? Free will (The Atlantic Monthly, June 2012).

I personally know several radical behaviorists/applied behavior analysts working in the social services and animal control/training fields, and operant learning is still a staple of educational training and delivery.

Nobody likes to think of themselves as governed by the same laws pigeons in a Skinner box are, but.... Try this thought experiment: think back over the past 24 hrs. of your life. How many levers, buttons, etc..., have you manipulated in that sample? Now, imagine for some reason in that time frame you were restricted from using any levers, buttons, etc.... Like my wife said when I ran it not her, "Makes it virtually impossible to get shit done."

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