The American psychologist and social philosopher B F Skinner (1904-1990) was one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. He is best known for his experiments on, and theoretical framework for, human and nonhuman animal behaviour, which he proposed was largely shaped by positive and negative reinforcement. A strict materialist and determinist, he believed that behaviour could be explained without invoking internal states such as thoughts and intentions.
In this discussion from 1972, Skinner and the English philosopher Geoffrey Warnock (1923-1995) discuss ideas from Skinner’s controversial book Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971), in which he argued that the concept of free will is both outdated and a hindrance to progress, and that behavioural engineering should be used to help shape a better world. Throughout, Warnock seeks to clarify Skinner’s ideas and takes issue with some of them. This includes, in particular, Skinner’s optimism that large-scale behavioural engineering would be used for the greater good – a claim that may invite a decent degree of scepticism, especially from the vantage point of today.
