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Some Relations Between Culture, Ethics and Technology in B. F. Skinner

Some Relations Between Culture, Ethics and Technology in B. F. Skinner B. F. Skinner was engaged, throughout all his career, in finding ways to make life, culture and the world better through behavior analysis. The tools developed by the science of behavior may be used for technological ends. At the same time, a philosophy—Radical Behaviorism—discusses the theoretical basis for science and its possible relations with technology. Ethics emerges from these relations and Skinner had to face inevitable ethical questions. We will examine some aspects of Skinner’s radical behaviorist approach on ethics and the relations established between science, technology, culture and ethics. The technology of teaching, proposed by Skinner in 1968, will be addressed as the best example of a behavioral technology which, as a cultural intervention, based on behavioral science, may contribute to achieve ethical goals: in others words, to build a better life and a better world - according to Skinner´s understanding of “better.” http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Behavior and Social Issues Springer Journals

Some Relations Between Culture, Ethics and Technology in B. F. Skinner

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Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by Camila Muchon de Melo, Marina Souto Lopes Bezerra de Castro & Julio C. de Rose
Subject
Psychology; Clinical Psychology; Personality and Social Psychology
ISSN
1064-9506
eISSN
2376-6786
DOI
10.5210/bsi.v24i0.4796
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

B. F. Skinner was engaged, throughout all his career, in finding ways to make life, culture and the world better through behavior analysis. The tools developed by the science of behavior may be used for technological ends. At the same time, a philosophy—Radical Behaviorism—discusses the theoretical basis for science and its possible relations with technology. Ethics emerges from these relations and Skinner had to face inevitable ethical questions. We will examine some aspects of Skinner’s radical behaviorist approach on ethics and the relations established between science, technology, culture and ethics. The technology of teaching, proposed by Skinner in 1968, will be addressed as the best example of a behavioral technology which, as a cultural intervention, based on behavioral science, may contribute to achieve ethical goals: in others words, to build a better life and a better world - according to Skinner´s understanding of “better.”

Journal

Behavior and Social Issues – Springer Journals

Published: May 1, 2015

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