ABSTRACT
It has been said that one can only write one’s autobiography; the veracity of this observation is evident in Skinner’s writings. What is quite remarkable in Skinner’s impressive ‘autobiographical’ output is the extent to which he has been able to maintain a clear and consistent theoretico-experimental perspective throughout his career. The main thrust of his operant perspective will be familiar to a wide audience but the technical and philosophical backgrounds will not. These will have to be mastered to an acceptable level, especially if the reader aspires to be a critic; but beware: ‘(I read this book—The Technology of Teaching—three times, making notes, because of the intellectual density, before I thought I knew all that was in it. This has happened to me with less than ten books in a lifetime of study.)’ (Platt, 1973, p. 38). The importance the author attaches to adopting such a conscientious approach to mastering Skinner’s perspective was established on the preceding page: ‘In fact, considering its already visible effects on education and behavior, and its incipient effects on medicine, the law, and all our social structures, it may be the most important discovery of this century’ (1973, p. 37). Although perhaps not as confident as Platt, others increasingly are according Skinner’s work the intellectual seriousness merited by its achievements and importance. A recent issue of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and this volume are two examples supporting this claim.
