Re: BAO and Behavior Analsis as a "Cult"

I guess the issue is cult vs community. Are we a community? I would say
yes. No differnt from APA is for psychologists.

Joe

On Fri, 19 Apr 2002, John Eshleman wrote:

> In a message dated 04/19/2002 8:34:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> [email protected] writes:
>
> << With regard to the issue of Behavior Analysis becoming its own
>  separate profession - I can say that here in Florida that is not even
>  a question but a reality. The fact is that the profession of Applied
>  Behavior Analysis has been separated from psychology in state
>  law by the state legislature some years ago due to the lobbying
>  efforts of FABA, which need to continue for ABA to enjoy such
>  autonomy as a profession. >>
>
> FABA's definitely taken the lead in this endeavour, and my hat's off to
> the FABAns!  :-)  There's some effort underway here in Georgia
> now to start GABA (seriously! <grin>), a Georgian Association for
> Behavior Analysis, by the way.
>
> << FABA hosts a well-organized and well-attended conference
>  on behavior analysis each year with presentations by leaders
>  in the field nationally attending and presenting (e.g. Jack Michael,
>  Murray Sidman, the late Glen Latham, and so on). >>
>
> Yep. I attended a FABA convention a few years ago.  Very well
> organized.  Top speakers.  Pleasant environs.  Plus, it was, well,
> Florida!  :-)
>
> << I think this is an attestation to the role behavior analysts can
>  have in society.  It could risk becoming cult-like, but we need
>  to also monitor ourselves to prevent this from happening. >>
>
> I doubt that it'd ever become a "cult."  Cults, at least if we
> are talking about actual cults, are not scientific. Nor are they
> based on science.  Therefore, if anyone wanted to argue that
> BA is a cult, they'd have to make the case that (a) BA is not
> scientific, and (b) that it's not based on science.  That'd be
> a rather tall order.
>
> Moreover, it's also up to the person asserting that it's a "cult"
> to demonstrate, with evidence, how it is a cult.  The burden
> of proof's on any person making such an assertion. The burden
> of proof's not on us to demonstrate how and why BA isn't a
> cult. Since no one has come forth with any evidence about how
> BA is a cult, any assertion that it is one can be safely disregarded.
>
>   -- JE
>