Re: Bareknuckles Behaviorism

From: zerkanX (zerkanX_at_nospam.net)
Date: 10/27/04 

Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 05:21:19 -0400

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 14:42:25 +0000, Lester Zick wrote:

>>Behaviouralism in my view has less to do with science, as the ethos
>>of superficial judgement which follows its acceptance. Because this
>>is accepted as science, it is accepted in life.
>
> I couldn't agree more. An intellectual superstructure built on sand.

First of all I must pick my jaw up off the floor in finding myself as an
apologist for 'behaviorism' or worse yet, posting ANYTHING about it which
infers knowledge. However, it does have a history in my life because of, and
only because of, the fact that I have hung around the therapeutic wing of
social work a lot.

Given all this, behavioralism, as it seemed to me, was or is more of an attempt
to change very destrucAn intellectual superstructure built on sandtive
behavior very fast. It was not that practitioners were incapable of
considering anything else but because 'drastic times call for drastic
measures' as it were and cutting to the behavioral chase was the most direct
way to alleviate an immediate danger. All of this was done inside the context
of sever abnormality, usually. I do say 'usually' because it seemed to also
spawn a sort of emotional-power mongering among those that moved from direct
intervention social work into more broad based applications.

The finish line for me was when I was involved in a workshop put on by the
business college at a liberal arts (!) university for local ad executives. It
was run by a behavioral psychologist. The techniques he introduced for
behavioral conditioning/manipulation inside of a sales situation were as mind
bending as they were repulsive. Here I saw not an 'intellectual superstructure
built on sand' but a intellectual substructure upon which to build extremely
self-serving power and control.
  

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Bareknuckles Behaviorism
    ... >to change very destrucAn intellectual superstructure built on sandtive ... There are many therapists trained in the ... And, frankly, behavior modification through training ...
    (sci.cognitive)
  • Re: Bareknuckles Behaviorism
    ... > business college at a liberal arts university for local ad executives. ... Here I saw not an 'intellectual superstructure ... Another reason why behaviorism has fallen out of favor. ...
    (sci.cognitive)
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