Is Skinner's behaviorism deterministic and dehumanizing?
Critics sometimes view my work as deterministic, suggesting that our environment dictates our every action, thus removing free will and human dignity. However, my aim was to understand the controlling variables of behavior, not to diminish individuals. By understanding these variables, we can design environments that promote more desirable outcomes, leading to a richer and more fulfilling human existence. The freedom I sought was freedom *from* aversive control, not freedom *from* causation.
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