Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Macmillan Publishing Company (1976), Edition: Revised, Paperback, 362 pages
Description
This fictional outline of a modern utopia has been a center of controversy ever since its publication in 1948. Set in the United States, it pictures a society in which human problems are solved by a scientific technology of human conduct. It is now widely recognized that great changes must be made in the American way of life. Not only can we not face the rest of the world while consuming and polluting as we do, we cannot for long face ourselves while acknowledging the violence and chaos in which we live. The choice is clear: either we do nothing and allow a miserable and probably catastrophic future to overtake us, or we use our knowledge about human behavior to create a social environment in which we shall live productive and creative lives and do so without jeopardizing the chances that those who follow us will be able to do the same. -Back cover.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member keylawk
Utopia run on behaviorist (stimulus-response S-R) principles. It is "fiction", sad to say. The utopia of people running experiments on themselves has never existed and is not likely to. The book is excellent illustration -- almost as a parable -- of environmental/ cultural techniques applied to
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operant psychological effect. Behavior is "determined" -- the concept of "choice" is inoperable. Show Less
LibraryThing member bell7
A behavioral psychologist imagines a utopia based on principles of positive reinforcement and training people to act in a way that benefits the community. Professor Burris narrates for us when he and some friends visit his old colleague Frazier, the founder of Walden Two. Each character is on
I was rather disappointed by this book. It was a fictional way of promoting Skinner's ideas, and there's no story outside of that, only Frazier promoting while Castle digs his heels in further. I remain unconvinced that it could work, and found myself getting annoyed that ultimately Frazier's reasoning was, "Well, you see it working before you" as he led his charges around Walden Two, when I don't know of any such successful community. Also, Skinner is a strict behaviorist and doesn't give much credence to the "nature" or genetic side of psychology.
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varying levels of acceptance, as Frazier expounds on his Utopia; Castle, in particular, remains a determined skeptic, while Burris finds himself mediating between Castle and Frazier.I was rather disappointed by this book. It was a fictional way of promoting Skinner's ideas, and there's no story outside of that, only Frazier promoting while Castle digs his heels in further. I remain unconvinced that it could work, and found myself getting annoyed that ultimately Frazier's reasoning was, "Well, you see it working before you" as he led his charges around Walden Two, when I don't know of any such successful community. Also, Skinner is a strict behaviorist and doesn't give much credence to the "nature" or genetic side of psychology.
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LibraryThing member IAmQuigg
I first heard of this book while reading a paper comparing it to A Clockwork Orange and became interested in finding it after that. I came across the book at a sale the English department of my university was having that I had volunteered for. Before starting it, however, I felt in necessary to
An enormous chunk of this book consists of the creator of the community, Frazier, describing what Walden Two is and how it outshines modern government and societal standings through behavior modification and a genuine reflection of natural human laws. He explains these aspects to the narrator, a philosophy professor by the name of Burris, along with his colleagues that join him through the tour of the town. Castle, another philosophy professor, Rodge and Steve, who work for the military, and their respective girlfriends Barbara and Mary. These characters cover different opinions over the community for Frazier to answer at a level of confidence that suggests bragging, but later becomes a little more fleshed out.
If you're looking for a gripping story with interesting characters and an explosive plot, I will have to ask you to turn away from this book. This story's purpose is not to entertain like traditional science fiction but instead to describe a hypothetical community that one would dare call a "perfect haven." Skinner's ability for scientific and cultural detail paints this town much deeper than what lies on the surface. It serves as a different look from our current standing of a community and has caused me to question aspects of the education system and behavioral understanding in our country even more than before. Again, it isn't the most fulfilling read, but it exists for the reflection of your own community lifestyle, and in that it succeeds.
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read the original Walden in order to have a complete understanding of the themes I would be dealing with. I highly recommend to anyone who plans on reading this to read the original Walden. It isn't entirely necessary, but it will give the reader a basis of understanding over many of the subjects covered in the novel.An enormous chunk of this book consists of the creator of the community, Frazier, describing what Walden Two is and how it outshines modern government and societal standings through behavior modification and a genuine reflection of natural human laws. He explains these aspects to the narrator, a philosophy professor by the name of Burris, along with his colleagues that join him through the tour of the town. Castle, another philosophy professor, Rodge and Steve, who work for the military, and their respective girlfriends Barbara and Mary. These characters cover different opinions over the community for Frazier to answer at a level of confidence that suggests bragging, but later becomes a little more fleshed out.
If you're looking for a gripping story with interesting characters and an explosive plot, I will have to ask you to turn away from this book. This story's purpose is not to entertain like traditional science fiction but instead to describe a hypothetical community that one would dare call a "perfect haven." Skinner's ability for scientific and cultural detail paints this town much deeper than what lies on the surface. It serves as a different look from our current standing of a community and has caused me to question aspects of the education system and behavioral understanding in our country even more than before. Again, it isn't the most fulfilling read, but it exists for the reflection of your own community lifestyle, and in that it succeeds.
Show Less
LibraryThing member zlerpster
This ISBN (0-02-411521-5) correctly references the paperback edition of Walden Two by Burrhus Frederick Skinner. Published by MacMillian Publishing, New York.
LibraryThing member bbstroll
Interesting description of a society based on behaviorist psychology.
LibraryThing member blake.rosser
It's interesting and not horribly-written for a doctor, but then you get to the end and realize he's propounding living in giant Brave New World type societies where everyone's behavior is rigorously controlled by doctors and science. Scary, damn behavioral psychologists.
LibraryThing member xuebi
An interesting and sometimes unsettling look at the darker side of social engineering.
LibraryThing member joeydag
read while in college and even then educational reform was an issue
LibraryThing member mykl-s
Utopian novels appeal to me. This one is not badly done, but kind of scary, being organized on conditioned response theory.
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1948 (Walden Two Original Edition)
1976 (Reissued)
Physical description
301 p.; 6.8 inches
ISBN
0024115118 / 9780024115119
Local notes
also PS3537.K527W...