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Behavior and Its Causes

Philosophical Foundations of Operant Psychology

  • Book
  • © 1994

Overview

Authors:
  1. Terry L. Smith

    1. University of the District of Columbia, USA

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Part of the book series: Studies in Cognitive Systems (COGS, volume 16)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
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  2. Introduction The Anomalous Survival of Operant Psychology

    1. Introduction The Anomalous Survival of Operant Psychology

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 1-12

  3. Understanding the Program of Research

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 13-14
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    2. Defining the Operant

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 15-26

    3. Not a Form of S-R Psychology

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 27-46

    4. The Functional Nature of Behavioral Categories

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 47-63

  4. Circumventing Standard Criticisms of the Program

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 65-65
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    2. Minor Problems

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 67-81

    3. Folk Psychology’s Critique

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 83-97

    4. Rebutting Folk Psychology’s Critique

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 99-118

    5. A Sophisticated Rejoinder by Philosophers

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 119-134

  5. Weighing the Strengths and Weaknesses of Radical Behaviorism

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 135-136
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    2. What is Radical Behaviorism?

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 137-148

    3. The Scientific Case for Radical Behaviorism

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 149-169

    4. The Analogy with Natural Selection

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 171-185

  6. Disentangling the Program from Radical Behaviorism

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 187-189
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    2. Transcending Behaviorism

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 191-213

    3. Operant Psychology Without Behaviorism

      • Terry L. Smith
      Pages 215-236

  7. Back Matter

    Pages 237-267
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Keywords

About this book

This series will include monographs and collections of studies devoted to the investigation and exploration of knowledge, information, and data-processing systems of all kinds, no matter whether human, (other) animal, or machine. Its scope is intended to span the full range of interests from classical problems in the philosophy of mind and philosophical psychology through issues in cognitive psychology and sociobiology (concerning the mental capabilities of other species) to ideas related to artificial intelligence and computer science. While primary emphasis will be placed upon theoretical, conceptual, and epistemological aspects of these problems and domains, empirical, experimental, and methodological studies will also appear from time to time. While most philosophers and psychologists tend to believe that the rise of cognitive psychology has occurred concomitant with the decline of operant psychology, Terry L. Smith contends that nothing could be further from the truth. He maintains that operant psychology has discovered (and continues to discover) reasonably well-confirmed causal principles of intentional behavior, which go beyond what cognitive psychology can provide, while cognitive psychology, in tum, has the potential to supply analyses (and explanations) that account for them. Smith thus advances a surprising but nonetheless illuminating perspective for appreciating the place of operant conditioning within the discipline of psychology in this rich and fascinating work. J. H. F.

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of the District of Columbia, USA

    Terry L. Smith

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Behavior and Its Causes

  • Book Subtitle: Philosophical Foundations of Operant Psychology

  • Authors: Terry L. Smith

  • Series Title: Studies in Cognitive Systems

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8102-8

  • Publisher: Springer Dordrecht

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 1994

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-7923-2815-5Published: 30 June 1994

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-4393-1Published: 07 December 2010

  • eBook ISBN: 978-94-015-8102-8Published: 17 April 2013

  • Series ISSN: 0924-0780

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 267

  • Topics: Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Education

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