[Vision2020] A Tradition of Excellence? Not Really!

[Kenneth Marcy]

On 11/19/2012 1:40 PM, Art Deco wrote:
> The problem of Skinner's theories is that they work in practical 
> applications which really, really sticks in the craw of those with 
> "depth" theories.
>
> For example, in very early guided missiles, Skinner trained pigeons to 
> accurately guide missiles to their targets using only visual cues.
>
> As for Skinner's "dehumanizing" black box applications of treating 
> mental health problems, those theories combined with empathetic 
> listeners work as well as any, in fact better than most.  Do you want 
> results or feel good theories about the "human spirit"?

I would prefer scientific explanations that are as theoretically 
consistent and experimentally reproducible as is possible given the 
limits of ethical experimentation, mathematical measurement and 
analysis, and cogent exposition.

I am not familiar with all of the details of Skinnerian experimentation 
after Chomsky's analysis and exposition regarding Skinner's verbal 
behavior papers, and considering it is now a half century after that 
discussion, there may be many details to consider. On the other hand, 
what appears to work in relatively simple and straightforward 
applications may not reveal or render obvious to observation all of the 
possible permutations of the underlying character and possibilities of 
human nature.

Actually, the more relevant considerations may be rooted more deeply in 
the animal kingdom than just humans. Beyond primates, even canids (dogs) 
have senses of fairness and justice when they are treated differently 
among themselves by human handlers and trainers. So, it is hardly a 
large leap to the position that unequal treatment among human children 
will result in feelings of unethical unfairness. For more information, 
see Ethical Dogs in Scientific American, and the paper Wild Justice, a 
pdf of which is online.

Electrifying the metal wire floors of rat and mice cages in 
laboratories, and marking faces of children in classrooms, may well have 
short-term behavioral effects on both the markees and the markers that 
are noticeable and perhaps predictably replicable. They may also have 
longer-term effects that are not so noticeable or desirable, even to 
those who don't look.

Or they may have vividly memorable lifelong effects -- witness Mr. 
Romney and his prep-school gang's hair cutting victim.

Caveat.


Ken