Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that rel… - B. F. Skinner

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Science not only describes, it predicts. It deals not only with the past but with the future. Nor is prediction the last word: to the extent that relevant conditions can be altered, or otherwise controlled, the future can be controlled. If we are to use the methods of science in the field of human affairs, we must assume that behavior is lawful and determined. We must expect to discover that what a man does is the result of specifiable conditions and that once these conditions have been discovered, we can anticipate and to some extent determine his actions.

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About B. F. Skinner

Burrhus Frederic Skinner (20 March 1904 – 18 August 1990) was an American behaviorist, author, inventor, baseball enthusiast, social philosopher and poet.

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Birth Name: Burrhus Frederic Skinner
Alternative Names: Skinner BF Burrhus F. Skinner B.F. Skinner
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