Philosophical Bases of Behaviorism
Behaviorism has roots in several philosophical traditions. It is related to realism, and the realist thesis of independent reality resembles the behaviorist's belief that behavior is caused by environmental conditions. Behaviorism also is indebted to materialistic philosophy, such as that promoted by Thomas Hobbes , who held that reality is primarily matter and motion and that all behavioral phenomena can be explained in thos terms.
Behaviorism's connection with realism is primarily with modern realism and its advocacy of science. However, it has some similarities to classical realism. For example, Aristotle thought that humans reached form or essence through the study of particulars, and be haviorists think that people can understand human behavior by a meticulous study of particular behaviors.
Materialism has its root in Greek philosophy, but as it exists today, Materialism is the theory that reality can be explained by the laws of matter and motion. Behaviorism is definitely a kind of materialism because most behaviorists view human beings in terms of their neurological, phyiological, and biological contexts.
Thomas Hobbes was an exponent of mechanistic materialism.. Hobbes was a throughgoing determinist, and he rejected the elements of self determination and free will in the thought of Descartes. For Hobbes, an individual's psychological makeup can be explained in mechanistic terms.People experience objects by their qualities ( color, order, texture, and so forth ) through sensation. Sensation is physical, what is sensed is quality, and quality is motion.
Behaviorism's connection with realism is primarily with modern realism and its advocacy of science. However, it has some similarities to classical realism. For example, Aristotle thought that humans reached form or essence through the study of particulars, and be haviorists think that people can understand human behavior by a meticulous study of particular behaviors.
Materialism has its root in Greek philosophy, but as it exists today, Materialism is the theory that reality can be explained by the laws of matter and motion. Behaviorism is definitely a kind of materialism because most behaviorists view human beings in terms of their neurological, phyiological, and biological contexts.
Thomas Hobbes was an exponent of mechanistic materialism.. Hobbes was a throughgoing determinist, and he rejected the elements of self determination and free will in the thought of Descartes. For Hobbes, an individual's psychological makeup can be explained in mechanistic terms.People experience objects by their qualities ( color, order, texture, and so forth ) through sensation. Sensation is physical, what is sensed is quality, and quality is motion.
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