A Rare Recording of B.F. Skinner

By: B.F. Skinner

Narrated by: B.F. Skinner

B.F. Skinner (March 20, 1904-August 18, 1990) was an American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher. Considering free will to be an illusion, Skinner saw human action as dependent on consequences of previous actions, a theory he would articulate as the principle of reinforcement: If the consequences to an action are bad, there is a high chance the action will not be repeated; if the consequences are good, the probability of the action being repeated becomes stronger. Contemporary academia considers Skinner, along with John B. Watson and Ivan Pavlov, a pioneer of modern behaviorism. The following speech was recorded in 1990, shortly before his death.

Public Domain (P)2020 Listen & Live Audio

Leveraging Skinner’s Consequences

This rare recording of B.F. Skinner provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of the modern era’s influential thinkers. Skinner’s perspective challenged conventional beliefs, emphasizing that security, safety, and certainty are illusory constructs. He introduced the shift from introspection to interoception, shedding light on the vocabulary developed to comprehend cognition, feelings, and emotional expressions. Hearing his insights firsthand is an excellent opportunity to explore the intellectual depth of a prominent figure from our time. Skinner’s unconventional idea invites us to question and reevaluate our understanding of the human mind and its intricate creative underpinnings. This is an excellent opportunity to hear it first hand from one of the modern thinker of my time.