Another take on Skinner

Interesting take on Skinner, the guy who said we are our external behavior, and our interior doesn't exist. 'It was Skinner who identified, more clearly than anyone the key stumbling block for those of us trying to see ourselves accurately; namely, a reluctance to countenance that human actions are caused, because the more causation, the less credit. "We recognize a person's dignity or worth," writes Skinner, "when we give him credit for what he has done ... Any evidence that a person's behavior may be attributed to external circumstances seems to threaten his dignity or worth."' Full article here. The writer notes: 'Most of my students are alternately amused and troubled, for example, when I speculate that "love" is, on one level, an evolutionary mechanism that insures an inclination to invest in individuals suitable to help maximize one's fitness, and on another, a consequence of appropriate amounts of oxytocin (in women) or vasopressin (in men), released in conjunction with sexual satisfaction. "That's just not acceptable," one young lady moaned, "I want my boyfriend to love me on his own, and not because of his genes or chemicals, but because of him and me!"'