Abstract

Radical behaviorism, a behaviorism associated with the views of B.F. Skinner, is often contrasted with methodological behaviorism. The nature of this contrast is explored by examining what Skinner himself has had to say about the difference. It is pointed out that Skinner has repeatedly called upon the distinction throughout the course of his carrer, and that essentially the same argument is made each time. It is argued that the two perspectives differ largely on epistemological grounds, with radical behaviorism manifesting a revolutionary if pragmatist perspective and methodological behaviorism representing the logical positivist-derived philosophy of science so common in social science today