Beyond Freedom & Dignity

218 Pages·1971·1.53 MB·English

by  B. F. Skinner

0
a PelicBaono k
BeyondF reedom
andD ignity
B.F. S kinner
PelicBaono ks
BeyonFdr eedoamn dD ignity
B.F .S kinnehra sb eenn amed( byT imem agazine) 'the
mosti nfluentoifal li ving Ameprsiyccahno logainsdt s
them ostc ontroverfisgiuarlie n t hes cienocfeh uman
behaviouHre' w.a sb orni nP ennsylvainni1 a9 04a nd
gaineMd. A.a ndP h.D.d egreaetsH arvarSdi.n c1e9 48
heh ast aughattH arvarwdh, ereh ei sn owE dgarP ierce
ProfessoofrP sycholoTghye. a uthoorf t hec lassUitco pian
noveWla lden (T1w9o4 8P)r,o fesSskoirn neirsf amous
forh isl aboratwoorryk w ithp igeonbsr,i ngianngi mal
experimentattoai qouna ntitastciiveen tliefivce Hle. i sk nown
ast hef atheorft het eachimnagc hinaen dp rogrammed
learnianngd,h isi nventiionncsl utdhee A irC riba,
mechanicbaalb y-tendaenrdt, h eS kinneBro x,a research
instrumdeensti gnteodt racceh angeisna nimable haviour.
Amongt hem anyh onourhse h asr eceivaerdet heN ational
Science Aawnadrt dh eD istinguiCsohnetdr ibutAiwoanr d
oft heA mericaPns ychologAiscsaolc iatBieoyn.o nd
Freedaonmd D ignitthyes, u mmaroyf h isl ifew'osr ki nt he
scientainfiacl ysoifb se haviohuars,b eenc allbedy
ScieNnecwes ' oneo ft hem osti mportant happienn ings
twentiectehn tuprsyy chology'.
B.F .S kinner
BeyonFdr eedom
andD ignity
PenguiBno oks
PenguiBno oksL td,H armondsworth,
MiddleseExn,g land
PenguiBno oksA ustralLitad ,R ingwood,
VictorAiuas,t ralia
PenguiBno oks( N.Z.L)t d,
182-19W0a irauR oad,A ucklan1d0 ,N ew Zealand
Firsptu blishiendt heU .S.A1.9 71
PublishiendG reaBtr itabiynJ onathaCna pe1 972
PublishiendP elicBaono ks1 973
Reprint1e9d7 41,9 76
Copyrig©h tB .F .S kinne1r9,7 1
Madea ndp rinteidnG reatB ritabiyn
RicharCdl ay( TheC haucer Press) Ltd
Bungay, Suffolk
Seti nL inotyBpaes kerville
Thisb ooki ss olsdu bjetcott hec ondititohna t
its halnlo t,b y wayo ft radoer o therwibseel ,e nt,
re-solhdi,r eodu t,o ro therwicsier culawtietdh out
thep ublisheprr'isoc ro nsenitna nyf ormo f
bindinogr c oveort hetrh ant haitn w hichi ti s
publishaendd w ithouat s imilcaorn dition
includitnhgi cso nditiboeni nigm poseodn the
subsequepnutr chaser
Contents
I. A TechnoloogyfB ehaviou9 r
2.F reedom3 1
3· Dignit4y8
4· Punihsment6 3
5· AlternatitvoPe usn ishme8n4t
6. Value1s0 1
7· TheE volutoifoa n C ultrue 126
8. TheD esigonfa Cultur1e4 3
9· WhatI sM an? ISO
Notes2 11
Acknowledgeme2n19t s
A TechnoloogyfB ehaviour
Int rytions go ltvhete e rripfryoibnltgeh mafsta cuesi n
thweo rtlodd waeyn, a turtaulrtlnoty h e twheid nog s
besWte.p lafyr osmt renagntodhu ,sr t reinssgtc hi ence
andt echnoTlooc goyn.ta ap ionp ulaetxipolnow sei on
loofkob re tmteetrh ods coofn tTbrhiorrlte.ha tbeyan ed
nuclheoalro cwaeub sutib,li dg gdeert erfroernactne ds
anti-tbiacl-lmsiiysssstiWelemet s r.ty o s taovffew orld
famiwnietn he w faonobdde st wtaeyros fg rowtihnegm .
Improsvaendi taantmdie odni cwiinlelh ,o pwceeo, n trol
disebaesteht,oe urs intgr aannsdp owritlsalotl ivoen the
probloefm sgt hheet atnodns e,w w ayosfr educoirn g
dispoosfwi ansgwt iesl tlot php eo lluotfti hoeenn viron­
menWte.c apno itnort e markaacbhliee veimnae lnlt s
thefiseel dsi,it ns ao nstdu rprisinsgh otuthlrtadyot we
extetnhde Bmu.tt h igngrsos wt eawdoirlsayen ,di ti s
dishearttofie nntdih ntaget c hniotlsoiegislyn f c reasingly
atf auSlatn.i taantdmi eodni chianvmeea dteh per ob­
lemsp oopfu lamtoiraoecn u wtaehr,a s iarceaqdn u ew
horrwoirtt hh ien venotfni uocnl weeaarp oannsd, the
affluepnutr suhiatp poifin sle asrsg reelsyp onfsoirb le
polluAtsiD oanr.l inhgatssoa ni•'d E,v enreyw source
fromw himcahn h aisn crehaisse dpo ontw heer ehaarst h
beeuns etdod imintihpserh o spoefc thsi s sAulclc essors.
hipsr oghraebsse sea ntt heex peonfds aem atgoe ehni­s
vironwmheinhctehc annroetp aanicdro unlodft o resee.'
Whethoernr o hte c ouhladv feo restehdeean m age,
• Notebse gionn page21 1.
10 BeyoFnrde edaonDmdi gnity
manm usrte piaoitrr a lilsl osAtn.d chaedn o ishfoe
will retchonega ntiuozrftee h dei fficuTlhteay p.p lica­
tioofn pthhyes aincbdai lo losgciiceaanllco ewnsie nl olt
solovuepr r oblbeemcsa tuhsseeo lutliioean nsio nt her
fielBde.t tceorn tracweiplctloi nvtperosop lu laotniloyn
ipfe opulsteeh eNme.w weampaoyon ffssn eetdw e fences
anvdi ce vearn suac,lh eobalurot c caaubnse pt r evented
onliytf h ceo ndiutnidowenhrsi ncaht imoankwsea r can
bec hangedm.e tNheoowdfa s g ricualntdmu erdei cine
wilnloh te lipft h eayrn eo ptr actainshdeo du,s iisn ga
matter nootfb uoinlgldsayi n ncdi tieosfh obwpu eto pi le
livOev.e rcrowdbienc go rrceaocnnt lbeyydi nducing
peopnoltet oc rowadn,td h een virownimcleolnn tt inue
tod eteriuonrtaitle polluatriaenb ga npdroancetdi.c es
Ins howretn ,e etdom akvea sctha nignhe usm abne ­
havioaunrdw, ec annmoatk teh ewmi tthh·he e lopf
nothmionrgte h apnh ysoirbc is oglyno,o m attheorw
harwde t ry. t(hAenrdeo tahreer prsoubcalhst e hmes ,
breakdofo wenod uurc atsiyosntaaenltmd h dei saffection
anrde vooflt thy eo untgo, wphhiycshai ncbdaoi ll ogical
technoalrosego oi bevsi oiursrleyl tehvatathn ety have
nevbeere anp pliIetid sn.o )t uegnhto o' utseec hnology
witah d eepuenrd erstoafnh duimnagn iosrst uoe s',
'deditceacthen otloo gmysa pni'rsni eteudaoslrt' o', e n­
coaugrtee chnololgoioasktht usm aptnro o blSeumcsh' .
expresismipotlnhysa w th erheu mabne havbieoguirn s,
technoloagnyd swttehom aputssc ,ta rornya, s hwaev e
int hpea swti,t h wwehh aatvl ee arfnreodpm e rsonal
experoirefn rcotemh ocsoel leocftp ieornssoe xnpaelr i­
encceasl hlieosdrt yo,rw itthh dei stilolfea xtpieornis­
ence ftoou nbdfe o ilwnki sdomp raancdtr iucloaefls
thumTbh.e hsaev bee eanv ailfaocbrel net uarniadel sl,
weh avteo sfhootrwh eimts h set aotfte h weo rtlodd ay.
Whawte n eeidas t echnooflb oeghya vWieoc uoru.l d
solovuepr r oblemse nqouuiigcfhk c lwoyeu alddj tuhset
A TechnoofBl eohgayv iIIo ur
growotfth h weo rlpdo'psu laastp iroencai sswe eal dyj ust
thceo uorfsa se p aceosrih mippr,ao gvrei cualntidun r­e
duswtirtysh o moeft hceo nfidweintcwheh iwceha ccel­
erahtieg h-epnaerrtgioycr ml oevse, toawp aeradcse ful
worwlidts ho metlhiitknhegse t epardoyg wrietswhsh ich
physhiacassp proaacbhseodzl eurt(oee v tehno hu bgoth
remapirne sumoaubtol fyr eacBhu)ta. b ehavioural
techncoolmopgya rianpb olweea rnp dr ecitsopi hoyns i­
caaln bdi olotgeicchanloi lslo agcnygka ,in dt howsheo
don ofitn tdh vee rpyo ssirbiidliictauyrlm eoo urlsei kely
tob ef righbtyei ntteh dar ne assTuhraeithds o. wf awre
arfer o'mu ndershtuamnadinis nsgui ents h'se e nisne
which phybsiiocylu son gdaenrds tthaefiniedrl adnsd,
howf ar awree from ptrhceea vteansttitrnoowgpa hred
whichw otrhled tsoe iebnmees x orably moving.
Twentyh-ufinvdeyr eeadr si mtai ggohh atv bee esna id
thmata nu ndershmtisoeoaldswf e lalsa noyt hpearr t of
his worlhde.i stT hotedh aihyne gu nderstands least.
Physaincbdsi l ooghya vceo mael onwga yb,ut th ere has
beenno c ompardaebvleel opomfae nnytt hliinkage
scieonfhc uem abne havGiroeueprkh. y saincdbs i oogly
are onfho iw stoirnitceoarnlel (synt mo o deprhny sicist
orb iolowgoiuslttdu rtnoA ristfoohtrel lebp u)tt,h e
dailogoufPe lsa atrose t aislsli tgons etdu daenncdti st ed
asi ft hey tlhirgoehnwth uman behaviour. Aristotle
counlodht a vuen dersat opoadgm eo doepfrh ny soirc s
boilogbyu,t Soacnrdha itse sf rienhdasvl ei wtotulled
trouibnfl oel lomwoiscntug r rdeinstc uosfsh iuomnasn
affaiArnsda. s t ot echnyo,wl eoh gavmea diem mense
striidnce osn trotlhplehi ynsgai ncbda illo ogiwcoarll ds,
buotu prr acitingc oevse rnment,a nemddu ucochfa tion,
economtihocusag,dh a pttoe d vdeirffye rceonntd itions,
havneog tr eaitmlpyr oved.
We casnc arcelyt hbeiyxss p alyatiihnnagt t hG er eeks
12 Beyond FreDeidgonmi tayn d
kneawlt lh ewraets ok noawb ohuutm abne havCieoru­r.
taitnhlekyyn emwo rteh atnh ey akbnoetuwht pe h ysical
world, wabssut tni olitlt mMuocrhe.o tvheerwi,ar oy f ·
thinkaibnoghu utm abne havmiuosutr hhaadsv oem e
fatflaalwW .h ereGarse pehky saincbdsi olnoogm ya,t ter
howc rudlee,ed v entutaoml oldye srcni eGnrceee,k
theoorfih eusm abne havlieonduo rw heIrfte h.ea yr e
wituhst odiaty , ibse cnaotuths epeyo ssessosmkeeid n d
ofe tervnearli tyb,e cabtuuhstede yi ndo cto nttahien
seeodfas n ything better.
Itc aanl wabyeas r guedh utmhabanet h aviisao ur'
particduilffiacrfiulelyltI d ti. s, aanrdee s wpee cially
likteotl hyi snojk su tb ecawuesa ers eoi neipndt e aling
witiht . moBduetpr hny saincbdsoi losguyc cestsrfeualtl y
subjtehcaattrsc e e rtaniosn ilmyp tlheamrna nays pects
ofh umabne havTihoeud rie.ffr enicste h atth ien stru­
menatnsmd e thotdhseu ys aer oef c ommenscuorma­te
plexTihtefy a.ct tha etq uaplolwye rifnuslt ruamnedn ts
methoadrsne o ta vailiantb hlfieee lodf hubmea­n
haviiosu ra nnoe tx planiatti isoo nnlp;ya rotft he
puzzWlaesp. u ttaim nagno nt hmeo oanc tueaalsliye r
thainm proevdiuncga itnoi uoprnu bslcihclo? sOo rt han
constrbuecttktiiennrogd f ls i vsipnagfc oeer v eorn?yeO r
thamna kiinptgo ssfioberlv ee rytoobn ege a infeuml­ly
ployaendda ,sa r esutloet n,j aoh yi hgesrt andoafr d
liviTnhgec? h oiwcaes anm oatt toefpr r iosrf,io ntroi e
onceo uhladv e tshaaitd it iwmapso rtmtooa rntgetoe t
thmeo oTnh.e e xcitthiinngg gaebtottuiottn h gme o on
wasi tfse asiSbciileiantncydte. e chnohlaodrg eya ched
thpeo iantwt h hi,cw ith gronepeaus th , tthhiceno gu ld
bed onTeh.e riesn oc ompareaxbcliet eambeotnuhtte
problpeomsbsey dh uman behWeaa vrineoo dutor s.te o
solutions.
Iti se astyoc oncltuhdateth emrues btes omething
about hbuehmaavnwi hoiucrh ams ackieesan ntailfiycs is,
A TechnoofBl eohgayv i1o3u r
andh enacene ffecttievcehg nyoi,lm opossbiubwtle e ,
havneo bty a nmye aenxsh aeudts htpeo ssibTihleirtei es.
is a isnwe hnisciehtc abne s aitdh atthm ee thoodfs
sciehnacvseec aryceebtle yea np pltiohe udm abne hav­
iour.h avWuees etdh ien struomfse cniteswn ech ea;v e
counatneddm easuarnedcd o mparbeudts; o mething
essetnots icailep nrtaicfiitcmsi i cses iinan lgm osctu ra­ll
rendti scuosfsh iuomnasn behIatv ithooadu sowr i.t h
ourt reatomfet nhcte a usoefbs e havi(oTuhtree. r m
'cauissne ol' o ngceorm moinns ophistsicciaetnetdi fic
writbiunitgwt ,i slelr vee nwuoeghhle lr e.)
Manfi'rses xtp erwiietnchca eu psreosb acbalmfyer om
his boewhna v:i tohuirnmgosv ebde cahuesm eo ved
theImfo. t htehri mnogvse idwt,a bse casuosmee eolnsee
wamso ving atnhidef m m,to hveec ro unlodbt e s eeint,
wabse cauhsee wiansv isTihbeGl ree.ge ok dsse rviend
thisa sw.ac yat euhsose f phpyhseincoamlTe hneawy.e re
usuaolutlsyi det htihntegh sem yo vebdu,tt h emyi ght
entienrt o 'paonsdt sheesms.' Phybsiioclssoo goyan n d
abandeoxnpelda noaftt hiiosna sn stdou rrtn teomd o re
usefkuilno dfsc ausbeustt,h e hsatnseo pbt e edne ­
cisitvaeklieynnt hfiee lodfh umabne haviIonutre.l li­
genpte opnlole o ngbeerl itehvamete na rpeo ssebsys ed
demo(nashl otuhg tehxeo rcoifds emv iisol csc asionally
practainstdeh dde,a imohnairsce appeiantr hewedr it­
ingosfp sychothebruatp ihsubtmesah)na, v iisso tuirl l
commoantltyr itboiu ntdewde aleglnitAns gj. u venile de­
linqiussea nitfd oe,rx amptloe s,bu eff erfirnoagmd is­
turbpeedr sonTahleirtey .bw'eon uopl odi innst a yiintg
ift hpee rsonwaelrnieot styo mehdoiws tfirnoctmth e
bodwyh ihcahgs o itt sienlttfor ouTbhlede i.s tiinsc tion
clear ownhebe ondi ys staoci odn tsaeivnep rearls on­
alitiesc ornwothilit ic nhd ifferweanyatst d ifferent
timPessy.c hoahnaavlieyd setnstt ihfireoedfte h epseer ­
sonal-ittheiege oss,u r peegaon,d -iandd i nteractions