Estudo sobre a relação entre educação e a evolução da cultura no Comportamentalismo Radical

Abstract

Radical behaviorism, philosophy of behavior introduced by B. F. Skinner, to explain the behavior, introduces the model of selection by consequences, composed of three levels: phylogenetic, ontogenetic and cultural, constantly affirming the intrinsic relationship between these three levels of selection in determining behavior. As a principle the notion that behaviors are selected by their consequences in relation to the environment, whether it is internal (covert) or external (public), mechanical or social, Skinner argues that cultural practices should ultimately work towards the survival of the species. Discovering that selection of such practices occur in a random and accidental manner, which may or may not contribute to this goal, Skinner argues that it is up to science the role of "guide them" deliberately, in order to promote actions - cultural actions - that may contribute to the evolution of culture and thus their survival. Bringing up the notion of cultural planning, Skinner claims as ethical the position of the behaviorist scientist oriented towards the good of the culture, that is, for its survival. By analyzing educational processes, stating that the ultimate goal of education is to ensure the establishment advantageous behaviors not only for the individual but for others in the future tense, Skinner points to the social role of educational practice, providing evidences of the education role in cultural evolution. Based on these assumptions, this study aims to investigate the concept of cultural practices and identify what contributions education can bring to cultural planning and the evolution of culture. To achieve these objectives, we decided to develop a theoretical and conceptual research, seeking to emphasize, whenever possible, skinnerians texts, but also using its interpreters in order to advance the discussions, still somewhat inchoate form on the subject. Starting with a brief historical and conceptual context of Radical Behaviorism, the work continues with the presentation of the skinnerian concept of cultural practices Skinner in the second section and, finally, a discussion of the relationship between education and cultural planning. From the discussion fostered in the research, it is possible to affirm the intrinsic relationship between cultural planning and education, since, to Skinner, knowing involves the acquisition of a behavioral repertoire that enables the individual to adopt potentially more advantageous behaviors in view of certain arrangement situational, i.e., means taking control over your own behavior in order to act on the world in a itemized manner. Crossing concepts such as control, countercontrol, self-government, learning to learn and learning to think, Education assumes, in Skinner's behaviorism, fundamental tool in establishing and - returning to the objectives of this research - planning advantageous, behavior, individual and collectively, in present and future time.