Nick Chater is co-founder of the research consultancy Decision Technology; and is on the advisory board of what was the Cabinet Office's Behavioural Insight Team (BIT), popularly known as the 'Nudge Unit'.
Whatever one thinks of the Nudge Unit, he is an interesting guy.
Back in the mid 1960's I was obliged to read B. F. Skinner's works on Behaviourism pursuant to academic studies under people who were attached to his ideas. Also, later to follow up to deal with mad psychologists. I came to the view that BF stood for something else besides his name.
Demetrius - I think Skinner had human psychology fairly well sorted but he strips away too many illusions. We can't build societies without the illusions and so we cannot give Skinner the credit he probably deserves for getting rid of them. Even Walden Two had its illusions because Skinner couldn't make it work without them.
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Back in the mid 1960's I was obliged to read B. F. Skinner's works on Behaviourism pursuant to academic studies under people who were attached to his ideas. Also, later to follow up to deal with mad psychologists. I came to the view that BF stood for something else besides his name.
Demetrius - I think Skinner had human psychology fairly well sorted but he strips away too many illusions. We can't build societies without the illusions and so we cannot give Skinner the credit he probably deserves for getting rid of them. Even Walden Two had its illusions because Skinner couldn't make it work without them.
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