behaviourism

Noun

behaviourism (countable and uncountable, plural behaviourisms)

1. behaviorism (an approach focusing on observable behavior which, generally assuming that behavior is determined by the environment and denying any independent significance for mind, largely ignores any pathophysiological processes which may, or may not, underlie subjective, behavioral phenomena)
2. (uncountable) behaviorism (the theory that a mental state is identical to the disposition or tendency to behave in accordance with the physical causes; statements about the mind are reducible to statements of physical behavior)
   • I come back now to the theory of behaviourism which I spoke of a moment ago. Suppose, e.g., that you are said to believe that there is a train at 10.25. This means, we are told, that you start for the station at a certain time. When you reach the station you see it is 10.24 and you run. That...1986, Bertrand Russell, edited by John G. Slater, The Philosophy of Logical Atomism and Other Essays 1914-19 (The Collected papers of Bertrand Russell; 8), London: George Allen & Unwin, →ISBN, →LCCN...
   • One criticism sometimes made of behaviourism is that it fails to make a distinction between someone actually being in pain and someone pretending to be in pain.1995, Nigel Warburton, Philosophy: The Basics, 2nd edition, London; New York: Routledge, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 137

   Synonyms:

   logical behaviourism, philosophical behaviourism, analytical behaviourism, analytic behaviorism, analytic behaviourism, analytical behaviorism, behaviorism, philosophical behaviorism