Beyond Freedom and Dignity. by SKINNER, B. F - 1972

1972. New York, A. A. Knopf, 1972. 8vo. Orig. full cloth w. gilt lettering on spine and front board in orig. dust jacket which is a bit frayed. Some underlinings, otherwise fine. (10),225,(3) pp. First edition's ninth printing.Alongside 'Warden two' form 1948 - a novel in which the author depicted a utopian community based on his ideas regarding behavior modification - this book, 'Beyond Freedom and Dignity' from 1971, incarnates the major works of Burrhus Frederic Skinner (1904 - 1990), regarded by many as the most influencial and controversial modern psychologist and a pioneer in the development of behaviourism, which seeks to understand behavior as a function of environmental histories of experiencing consequences. The book argues that entrenched belief in free will and the moral autonomy of the individual - which Skinner referred to as "dignity" - hinders the prospect of building a happier and better organized society through the use of scientific techniques for modifying behavior. But 'Beyond Freedom and Dignity' is maybe represented best by its conclusion: That an experimental analysis shifts the determination of behaviour from autonomous man to the environment - an environment responsible both for the evolution of the species and for the repertoire acquired by each member. "But is man then 'abolished'?", Skinner asks, and answers: "Certainly not as a species or as an individual achiever. It is the autonomous inner man who is abolished, and that is a step forward. But does man not then becomes merely a victim or passive observer of what is happening to him? He is indeed controlled by his environment, but we must remember that it is an environment largely of his own making. The evolution of a culture is a gigantic exercise in self-control. It is often said that a scientific view 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 exiting possibilities. We have not yet seen what man can make of man." - These ideas make this book an imperative classic within the behaviouristic tradition.