It is a mistake to suppose that the whole issue is how to free man. The issue is to improve the way in which he is controlled. B. F. Skinner More Quotes by B. F. Skinner More Quotes From B. F. Skinner A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying. B. F. Skinner perseverance giving-up education A person who has been punished is not thereby simply less inclined to behave in a given way; at best, he learns how to avoid punishment. B. F. Skinner punishment psychological way Give me a child and I'll shape him into anything. B. F. Skinner education giving children The strengthening of behavior which results from reinforcement is appropriately called 'conditioning'. In operant conditioning we 'strengthen' an operant in the sense of making a response more probable or, in actual fact, more frequent. B. F. Skinner reinforcement behavior facts The major difference between rats and people is that rats learn from experience. B. F. Skinner differences rats people Behavior is determined by its consequences. B. F. Skinner consequence determined behavior Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. B. F. Skinner education teacher graduation We are only just beginning to understand the power of love because we are just beginning to understand the weakness of force and aggression. B. F. Skinner power-of-love force weakness Behavior is shaped and maintained by its consequences B. F. Skinner consequence behavior We shouldn't teach great books; we should teach a love of reading. Knowing the contents of a few works of literature is a trivial achievement. Being inclined to go on reading is a great achievement. B. F. Skinner education teacher book That's all teaching is; arranging contingencies which bring changes in behavior. B. F. Skinner contingency behavior teaching The way positive reinforcement is carried out is more important than the amount. B. F. Skinner important reality way It is not a question of starting. The start has been made. It's a question of what's to be done from now on. B. F. Skinner starting done made What is love except another name for the use of positive reinforcement? Or vice versa. B. F. Skinner what-is-love vices names I did not direct my life. I didn't design it. I never made decisions. Things always came up and made them for me. That's what life is. B. F. Skinner design education reality It is a surprising fact that those who object most violently to the manipulation of behaviour nevertheless make the most vigorous effort to manipulate minds. B. F. Skinner effort behaviour mind Science is a willingness to accept facts even when they are opposed to wishes. B. F. Skinner accepting wish facts I've often said that my rats have taught me much more than I've taught them. B. F. Skinner taught rats said Do not intervene between a person and the consequences of their own behavior. B. F. Skinner consequence behavior persons A self is a repertoire of behavior appropriate to a given set of contingencies. B. F. Skinner given behavior self
