Getting It Wrong: Comment on Moore's "Behaviorism and the Stages of Scientific Activity"

Autor/in	Baum, William M.
Titel	Getting It Wrong: Comment on Moore's "Behaviorism and the Stages of Scientific Activity"
Quelle	In: Behavior Analyst, 33 (2010) 2, S.235-236 (2 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0738-6729
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Behaviorism; Science Activities; Science Programs; Behavioral Science Research; Theories; Feedback (Response) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Behaviourism; Behaviorismus; Theory; Theorie
Abstract	In this article, the author comments on Moore's (2010) illogical attack on the matching law which was published by "The Behavior Analyst." Moore begins by attacking the psychophysical power law because he claims it is based on mentalism. One may argue about theory, but one cannot argue with data. Moore's attack on the generalized matching law is similarly problematic. The illogic of his argument should be obvious. He begins with the premise: (1) The psychophysical power law was based on mentalism. Therefore: (2) Some power laws are based on mentalism. He then proceeds (illogically): (3) The generalized matching law is a power law. Therefore: (4) The generalized matching law is based on mentalism. The author contends that if Premise (2) stated "all" instead of "some," Conclusion (4) would be warranted, but the "some" makes the conclusion invalid. Equally obvious, the generalized matching law is in no way based on mentalism. To dismiss a well-replicated finding because someone may have proposed a theory about it that is erroneous or untestable makes no sense. (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Association for Behavior Analysis International. 1219 South Park Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001. Tel: 269-492-9310; Fax: 269-492-9316; e-mail: mail@abainternational.org; Web site: http://www.abainternational.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10