Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.
W. H. AudenRead
Of course, Behaviourism 'works'. So does torture. Give me a no-nonsense, down-to-earth behaviourist, a few drugs, and simple electrical appliances, and in six months I will have him reciting the Athanasian Creed in public.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques behaviorism by comparing it to torture, suggesting that it can produce results without addressing deeper understanding or morality.
W. H. Auden highlights the effectiveness of behaviorism in modifying behavior, but he draws a stark comparison to torture to illustrate that while behavior can be manipulated through external means, this doesn't equate to a genuine understanding or ethical consent. The mention of reciting the Athanasian Creed under coercion underscores the idea that outward obedience or behavior does not necessarily reflect inner belief or understanding.
Themes
BehaviorismMoralityCoercionBeliefUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a psychology class to discuss the ethical implications of behavior modification techniques.
More from W. H. Auden
All quotes →That the speech of self-disclosure should be translatable seems to me very odd, but I am convinced that it is. The conclusion that I draw is that the only quality which all human being without exception possess is uniqueness: any characteristic, on the other hand, which one individual can be recognized as having in common with another, like red hair or the English language, implies the existence of other individual qualities which this classification excludes.
W. H. AudenRead
Nobody knows what the cause is, though some pretend they do; it like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you. Childless women get it, and men when they retire; it as if there had to be some outlet for their foiled creative fire.
W. H. AudenRead
History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
W. H. AudenRead
Music is the best means we have of digesting time.
W. H. AudenRead
'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'
W. H. AudenRead
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