January 2020
Reflections on Behaviorism and Society. Chapter 16: Walden (One) and Walden Two. Quote 1
“Hawthorne said that Thoreau made people feel guilty about their possessions, and I know what he meant. When I got my doctor’s degree, my family gave me a car, but I felt guilty about it and bought a copy of Walden to keep in the car to take the curse off.” (p. 189)
Reflections on Behaviorism and Society. Chapter 15: Reflections on Meaning and Structure. Quote 2
“The linguist’s “deep structure,” like Freud’s “depth psychology,” is a spatial metaphor which serves several functions. It is useful in referring to the visibility in the determination of behavior. It should not, of course, be used to suggest that an analysis is profound rather than superficial.” (p. 187)
Reflections on Behaviorism and Society. Chapter 14: The Force of Coincidence. Quote 4
“The fact that two basic types of superstitious behavior are commonly observed in such an “unintelligent” organism as a pigeon suggests that superstition must have been very widespread before corrective measures were developed.” (p. 172)