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biolexicon's review against another edition
5.0
This book puts forth some powerful ideas. And, honestly, I may not have absorbed all of them. It is a radically different way of thinking about the subject matter and might take some time for the perceptive change to fully filter through. However, some of Skinner's writing style doesn't help processing. He puts forth vague statements as conclusions. And on the occasions that he offers logical steps, they're usually simple anecdotes. It's a bit like listening to math teachers. You recognize that they're saying something brilliant and you really want to understand, but they skipped explaining how this 2 turned into a 4 and why we just divided the equation by itself. I wish he would provide me more evidence as to evaluate the claims for myself, rather than just presenting his claims. I'm also not sold on the use of his word "control" throughout the book. He justifies it over using a word like "infuence", but the justification seemed weak.
The last chapter seemed to be a standout though, I enjoyed it most.
The last chapter seemed to be a standout though, I enjoyed it most.
scarletkeiller's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.5
lots of it was very interesting! it's just dense and gets pretty dry towards the end. plus it's from the 70s so obviously it is dated and hasn't aged gracefully
rachelhelps's review against another edition
3.0
Down-to-earth message about how humanity's concern with being dignified is only encouraging punishment rather than more effective ways of learning.
katie_berry's review against another edition
4.0
Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a huge B.F. Skinner fan. He was one of the fathers of radical behaviorism in the field of Psychology. His work was ground-braking and he was a very influential writer and scientist. This book sets out to dispel any "inner-man" in humans, we are only influenced by positive and negative reinforcement.I don't agree with his views all the time, but still love how he views the human and I can't help but see the truth in his research.
momster13's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat dry in terms of writing style, but I adore Skinner and his work.
cupcates's review against another edition
3.0
skinner baby i love you but your writing gives me a rash
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this book was a continual cycle of "that's an interesting insight" to "that's a horrible conclusion to draw from that insight!" Skinner makes many interesting and somewhat-valid observations. However, his solution is terrible. As the title of the book suggests, Skinner is of the opinion that we must stop valuing freedom and human dignity if we are going to craft a perfect society. While modern culture hasn't accepted this thesis, it has definitely embraced many different parts of his philosophy, and so that makes this book worth reading as a way of understanding the culture. However, it's worth reading for its cultural impact; it's actual message is extremely disastrous.
Rating: 2.5 Stars* (Okay).
*Rating based on the book's value to a reader as a means of understanding current culture, not on the book's actual value in-and-of-itself, which would warrant only half a star.
Rating: 2.5 Stars* (Okay).
*Rating based on the book's value to a reader as a means of understanding current culture, not on the book's actual value in-and-of-itself, which would warrant only half a star.
jstamper2022's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure I really agree with his assertion. He seemed to paint human behavior in broad strokes and missed a lot of nuance to human behavior. Now I'm not a renowned psychologist at all but I think he's backwards. Human behavior, flawed as it may be at times, shapes our society and environment, not necessarily the other way around. It's more synergistic than that. Human behavior creates society and environment and that in turn guides our path to future behavior, bad turns and all.
gvenezia's review against another edition
4.0
"We do not read books if we are already thoroughly familiar with the material or if it is so completely unfamiliar that it is likely to remain so. We read books which help us say things we are on the verge of saying anyway but cannot quite say without help."
My love for this book exemplifies Skinner's quote above. Skinner says what I have been on the verge of saying. "Beyond Freedom & Dignity" was just what I was looking for: an explanation of determinism's practical implications for our lives and how we stand to benefit from embracing it. Skinner takes the psychological approach to determinism, focusing on operant behavior, reinforcement, contingencies, and the environment's effects on our identity, social behavior, and ideas. He aptly deconstructs the culture of freedom and of dignity that we have basked in for so long and shows how relinquishing these ideas can lead to better understanding and better construction of our world. Technology of behavior takes the stead of freedom of dignity. It is to be applied in a systematic fashion, as a scientific or psychological experiment or test. Many object that "a scientific view of man leads to wounded vanity, a sense of hopelessness, and nostalgia. But no theory changes what it is a theory about; man remains what he has always been. And a new theory may change what can be done with its subject matter. A scientific view of man offers exciting possibilities. We have not yet seen what man can make of man."
"The great individualists so often cited to show the value of personal freedom have owed their successes to earlier social environments. The involuntary individualism of a Robinson Crusoe and the voluntary individualism of a Henry David Thoreau show obvious debts to society. If Crusoe had reached the island as a baby, and if Thoreau had grown up unattended on the shores of Walden Pond, their stories would have been different. We must all begin as babies, and no degree of self-determination, self-sufficiency, or self-reliance will make us individuals in any sense beyond that of single members of the human species."
"Conflicts among feelings, as in the classical literary themes of love versus duty or patriotism versus faith, are really conflicts between contingencies of reinforcement."
My love for this book exemplifies Skinner's quote above. Skinner says what I have been on the verge of saying. "Beyond Freedom & Dignity" was just what I was looking for: an explanation of determinism's practical implications for our lives and how we stand to benefit from embracing it. Skinner takes the psychological approach to determinism, focusing on operant behavior, reinforcement, contingencies, and the environment's effects on our identity, social behavior, and ideas. He aptly deconstructs the culture of freedom and of dignity that we have basked in for so long and shows how relinquishing these ideas can lead to better understanding and better construction of our world. Technology of behavior takes the stead of freedom of dignity. It is to be applied in a systematic fashion, as a scientific or psychological experiment or test. Many object that "a scientific view of man leads to wounded vanity, a sense of hopelessness, and nostalgia. But no theory changes what it is a theory about; man remains what he has always been. And a new theory may change what can be done with its subject matter. A scientific view of man offers exciting possibilities. We have not yet seen what man can make of man."
"The great individualists so often cited to show the value of personal freedom have owed their successes to earlier social environments. The involuntary individualism of a Robinson Crusoe and the voluntary individualism of a Henry David Thoreau show obvious debts to society. If Crusoe had reached the island as a baby, and if Thoreau had grown up unattended on the shores of Walden Pond, their stories would have been different. We must all begin as babies, and no degree of self-determination, self-sufficiency, or self-reliance will make us individuals in any sense beyond that of single members of the human species."
"Conflicts among feelings, as in the classical literary themes of love versus duty or patriotism versus faith, are really conflicts between contingencies of reinforcement."