Behaviorism Quote by B. F. Skinner
““I would have been glad to agree to let them all proceed henceforth in complete ignorance of psychology, if they would forget my opinion of chocolate sodas or the story of the amusing episode on a Spanish streetcar.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Psychology, 1970s
He mocks the idea of ignoring psychological insight while obsessing over trivial preferences, highlighting the absurdity of selective ignorance.
In simple terms: Ignoring psychology while caring about minor opinions is absurd.
Key Takeaway
Don’t let trivial preferences blind you to deeper truths.
Themes
psychology
selective ignorance
triviality
Mood
skeptical
ironic
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy making
- media commentary
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
behaviorism
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What deeper issues are you overlooking?
- How do minor preferences shape major decisions?
A Different Perspective
Trivial concerns can still dominate discourse.
![“Some have said that the thesis [of indeterminacy] is a consequence of my behaviorism. Some have said that it is a reductio ad absurdum of my behaviorism. I disagree with this second point, but I agree with the first. I hold further that the behaviorism approach is mandatory. In psychology one may…” quote by Willard Van Orman Quine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e0/willard-van-orman-quine-10137_ads_some-have-said-that-the-thesis-of-indete_315688.jpg)
