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- Title
IS B. F. SKINNER'S RADICAL BEHAVIORISM A SECULAR HUMANIST PHILOSOPHY?
- Authors
Alves da Rocha, César Antonio; Brunkow, Fernanda
- Abstract
A philosophical tradition characterized by the praising of rationality, science, and critical thinking, secular humanism also consists in a cultural movement that opposes the resort to religious, ideological dogmas, pseudoscientific practices, and superstitions as criteria for morality and decision-making processes. Historically, different manifestos and declarations emerged as iconic expressions of such movement, one of the most important being the 1980 Secular Humanist Declaration. Taking as its starting point a controversy involving the presence of B. F. Skinner among the countersigners of the declaration, this piece examines the extent to which radical behaviorism could be considered a secular humanist philosophy. To this end, the ten tenets set out in the Secular Humanist Declaration are presented and evaluated in terms of their affinities or divergences in relation to Skinner's stances expressed throughout his philosophical work. Finally, we evaluate how radical behaviorism could feasibly contribute to a secular humanist agenda, by providing more effective ways for the accomplishment of secular humanist values.
- Subjects
SKINNER, B. F. (Burrhus Frederic), 1904-1990; SECULAR humanism; BEHAVIORISM (Psychology); HUMANISTS; CULTURAL movements; CRITICAL thinking
- Publication
Behavior & Philosophy, 2023, Vol 51, p45
- ISSN
1053-8348
- Publication type
Article