A thread through the archive
Essays tagged “Behaviorism”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Scott reviews Will Powers' book on Perceptual Control Theory, finding it convincing for explaining lower-level brain functions but skeptical of its application to higher-level concepts.
Scott explains the basics of classical and operant conditioning, focusing on B.F. Skinner's work with pigeons and different reinforcement schedules, ultimately connecting variable ratio reinforcement to slot machines and human behavior.
Scott defends behaviorism as a sophisticated methodological approach that avoided using mental phenomena as fundamental explanations, connecting it to reinforcement learning and the idea that minds are behavior-executors rather than utility-maximizers.