Elijah Mohammad
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Oct-14-2005
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Message #114283 posted by Elijah Mohammad (Info) April 30, 2008 04:09:59 ET
"The Truth About Behaviorism
The approach of modern behavioral psychology throws out any and all concepts of consciousness, awareness, thought, will, responsibility, etc., because to the behavioral psychologist none of these things can be observed by a second party. They don't exist to them. This is absurd because each of us knows full well that we are conscious, have thoughts, act on will and are aware. What kind of world can possibly exist where Man is viewed as an animal with no mind, will, self-control or responsibility? Obviously, not a very good one, yet governments all over the world endorse and extensively fund behavioral psychology.
The US government has spent millions of dollars on behavioral research. Behavioral methods are nothing but about control, and more and more, in accordance with some social scientist's notions of what constitutes an ideal society. Modern educational theories and practices are riddled with this attitude, and it should be no surprise that modern society is deteriorating. The denial of Man's mind, and all this entails - thought, will, reason, imagination, creativity, responsibility, morality, and self-determinism - is a direct cause of modern rampant violence, crime, and immorality.
The modern social scientist claims they are "true" scientists and that they provide the true path to understanding Man and societies. They claim their views and methods will lead to solutions for all Man's problems. They are wrong. Observing the current state of society makes this painfully obvious. When Wilhelm Wundt chose to dispel with the mind of Man as an object of scientific investigation, he set the entire modern world on a collision course with chaos.
Most traditional religious and even modern New Age views consider Man to possess, have or be a soul. Man's essence involves an "inner" personality, invisible to physical detection, but real and substantial nonetheless. This is the "indwelling agent" which upsets B. F. Skinner so much (see above link). Without getting into an argument or discussion about a "soul" or "spirit", it can still be correctly said that thoughts, ideas, feelings and imagination are truly invisible. They can't be seen or detected by anyone except the person who has them, but they are real. An idea can't be weighed, a feeling can't be monitored, the imagination can't be observed, and intention can't be detected - except by the person having these things. These things can be inferred by an observer through the observation of behavior and communication, but they can only be directly experienced by the person themselves.
To anticipate the arguments of proponents of the biological school, yes, there might be some slight correlation between EEG and brain wave tests to thought, emotional states, and imagination, and electrical and chemical forces do effect changes in thought and emotions, but there is a huge difference between detecting relational electrical and chemical processes in a brain, and visa versa, and the actual thoughts, emotions and mental phenomena themselves (as experienced by any person whose thoughts and emotions these are). The objective measuring of mental phenomena via a brain or otherwise using devices and electronic gadgetry can never and will never be the same as the personal experience of the subjective reality. They are of a different order of things. The modern "scientific" view ignores and denies this.
Obviously, if the content of a mind is invisible, so can be the mind itself. What it is, how it functions, and where it is has not been figured out, because taking a purely "scientific" approach as applied to the physical sciences, they have taken the view that if it can't be seen, quantified, and measured with traditional scientific measuring tools, then it doesn't exist, and isn't worth considering, examining or investigating. This is the attitude and approach originally taken by the experimental psychology of Wilhelm Wundt, and it has been followed ever since. But functionally the mind exists and does the things described above, even if the mechanics of it and the actual relationship to the body aren't clearly understood.
What the psychologists propose and promote is absurd. I have a mind. You have a mind. We all know this even though no scientist can ever prove it. A mother loves her newborn child. This "love" cannot be seen or experienced directly by anyone except the mother. She knows it exists. She feels it, and others feel it through physical interaction and her behavior. This argument could go on for many other aspects of human mental activity. But the modern scientist would have us believe it is meaningless and not worthy of examination because it can't be quantified and measured. The realm of mind is interesting in this regard, because while not being open to objective verification or proof, it still very much exists. Lord, how the scientist rebels against that idea. It seems to drive some of them completely mad! What drives them mad is the fact that the mind doesn't seem to be part of or follow in the same manner as how the rest of the experiencable physical universe operates and exists. The true materialist goes quite hysterical when presented with this notion.
The scientific method could be applied to the realm of the mind. It hasn't ever been. Instead it has been ignored. The aspects of mind, such as attention, intention, will, concentration, awareness, belief, imagination and even responsibility need to be examined within their own context. Since they never can be examined objectively with regards to mechanical operation, they need to be dealt with functionally - how these aspects of mind function, what they do, how they do it, how to enhance these things, and how to develop personal control of these things. The modern materialistic approach of science flat out ignores and denies all this. Its a lazy way out, and intellectually dishonest. It ignores what is clearly obvious to any even slightly observant person - we each have a mind, it's invisible for all practical purposes to the physical senses, and it does many things. In fact, it is much more the actual source of social and life conditions than any whacky behavioral notion of environmental forces or a psychiatrist's notions of genetics.
The primary problem is that the mind of Man was forsaken as an object of "scientific" investigation. Instead, Man has come to be viewed solely as a biological organism, to be addressed genetically and in a stimulus-response manner, like any other animal. This is absurd because it is only Man's mind which separates us from the rest of the biological kingdoms. Granted, Man has done some really oppressive things with his mind, from massive annihilation of his fellows to the destruction of a good part of his environment, but this doesn't excuse consigning it to the garbage bin. It is also the source of everything great, decent and wonderful. The solution is not to throw out the mind because it has failed at times, but to dig in, investigate, and solve why it fails, and also to promote and encourage all that is good about it. This is the flaw of modern psychology. They attempt to "solve" Man by neglecting what he or she is at the most fundamental level - a mind. The result is biochemistry, behaviorism, and genetics instead of a true understanding of Man and his mind.
Various subjects, traditionally called religions, although actually dealing more with psychology (a "study of the mind" by definition), have studied this invisible aspect of Man. The Vedic Hymns of the Hindus, Sufism and various segments of Buddhism (i.e. yoga) have examined and produced numerous techniques to become aware of and expand the potentials of a mind. Western thought has systematically ignored these subjects due to a misunderstanding of terms, intellectual bias, cultural prejudice, and also due to a general tendency of these subjects to affiliate themselves with religious opinions and dogma - which has alienated many investigators. Despite all that, these things have never been carefully or honestly examined by any traditional modern techniques utilizing the methods of science. Instead the mind has been forgotten, and we now have biopsychiatry, behaviorism, and whacky psychological theories which somehow aim to "cure mental illness" while ignoring and denying the mind. How can they treat and cure an "illness of the mind" when they quite admittedly deny the very existence of the mind? It's impossible. They aren't dealing with minds - not at all - they deal with other things (i.e. behavior, genetics) while pretending to deal with minds. It's a mammoth fraud and farce.
Realize a large portion of behavioral psychology, especially the basic assumptions, are ideological in nature. They are not based upon firm science, observable fact or provable theories. True scientists welcome dissenting views, and even encourage opposite views as a prod to further research, the formation of new theories, and the expansion of knowledge and understanding. Modern psychologists largely abhor, resist, and actively fight dissent, dissident views and conflicting opinions. They are not true "scientists" and the subjects have little to do with true "science". As with all belief systems based upon ideology, and not science, the adherents resist opposing views. Science always subjects itself to rigorous challenges that seek to falsify its premises, but ideologies can never be proven wrong - they are opinions held with conviction - beliefs not subject to correction or change.
Thomas Szasz, a psychiatrist, was threatened with getting thrown off his professorship at a major college because he didn't "believe in mental illness". In his book, The Myth of Mental Illness, he had extensive proof, documentation, and presented a very intelligent and logical argument supporting his position. But it didn't matter. He was an ideological heretic. He didn't follow the party line. He had the audacity to disagree with the tenets, dogma and orthodoxy of modern psychiatry. This is an example of just how much more psychiatry (and psychology) functions and exists as an ideology than as any legitimate science, and as such, how it deals little with valid facts about the nature of Man and his mind and more with opinions, bias and prejudice. The concept of Man having, possessing and utilizing his or her mind is not a part of the "modern scientific" view of Man. It isn't allowed. It is frowned upon, ridiculed, and belittled. It is considered uneducated, archaic and amusing. It is quite heretical to the modern rigid materialistic belief system of the social sciences.
Behaviorism is one aspect of the incorrect modern view of Man accepted and endorsed by professionals and members of various academic fields who should know better. That so many don't doesn't portend well for future life on this planet.
The Stimulus and the Response: A Critique of B.F. Skinner by Ayn Rand
Meaning & Motivation - the truth about what really makes people really do things, but more what enables them to live life causatively as a sane and responsible human being.
Taking the "Psyche" Out of Psychology - a history of behaviorism by Jim Keith.
Suggested Reading!
The Leipzig Connection by Paolo Lionni
Psychiatry: The Ultimate Betrayal by Bruce Wiseman
About Behaviorism - by B. F. Skinner
Beyond Freedom and Dignity - by B. F. Skinner
Behaviorism - by John Watson
Waldon Two - by B. F. Skinner
Dewey On Education - by John Dewey
Democracy and Education - by John Dewey
The School and Society - by John Dewey
Experience and Education - by John Dewey
Say NO To Psychiatry!"
http://www.sntp.net/behaviorism/behaviorism_main.htm
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