Verbal Behavior
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2 Traditional Views of Language 3 Skinner's View of Language 4 External Links |
Language is what separates humans from animals. Things achieved by humans (both positive and negative) have been possible only because of language. Also, we engage in language almost all of our lives. In this article, "speaking" stands for all language activities - writing and keyboarding, for instance.
We "speak" during all our waking hours and sometimes in our sleep. The traditional explanation is that speaking is the expression of ideas and the like. To give a little more detail, a non-physical universe of ideas, feelings, emotions, and the like independently exist in each of us. A non-physical "I" performs the non-physical act of expressing these producing the physical speech which can be heard by others, recorded, etc.
B.F.Skinner proposed a breakthrough explanation for language behavior in humans. As in the case of all breakthrough statements, it should be regarded only as a first step, to be greatly improved. (At the same time, its importance cannot be overstated.)
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Language
Traditional Views of Language
Skinner's View of Language
External Links