Shaping Truth in Verbal Behavior (was Re: Important Follow-up Message)

In a message dated 04/13/2002 1:58:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< 9. I am truly sorry that I elected to participate with John in this
 discussion, for it only served as a stimulus for a number of responses I
 still quite frankly do not understand, not to mention Morrow's ad hominem
 from left field. >>

I am glad that you "elected" to participate with me.  We are getting
closer to actually communicating as a result.  You still have your
facts wrong, but this latest posting of yours represents a slightly
better approximation to the actual truth.

That said, how can a behaviorist speak of "electing" to do something?

<< 10. Joe Morrow now seeks to wager me regarding a bet for $1000 to the
Cambridge Center. Sorry, Joe, I happily deleted all your correspondences
over 6 months ago. Why not give $1 to the Cambridge Center for the reason
that it has promoted your services for free now for a number of years, and
generally does a lot more to advance the science of behavior, for which you
obviously outside of betting don't see any good reason to support. >>

This says quite a lot.  First, have you deleted his messages from
the Behav-An archive?  I hope not, as that would eliminate the
archive as a valuable resource.

Second, is support of Behavior Analysis now to be made equivalent
to support of CCBS? I.e., if someone does not support CCBS is it
then true that that person does not support a science of behavior?
Is that the argument you are making?

From what I know of Joe Morrow, his support of the science of behavior
has been exemplary, long-term, and far greater than what younger
guys like you have made.  Joe has supported both ABA (remember
this organization?) and also the International Society for Behaviorology
(ISB) to name two venues of supporting the science that I know about.
There may be other organizations, journals, etc. that he has
supported materially.

There are many ways to support a science of behavior.  Moreover, the
concept of support should not be equated with or reduced to monetary
support alone.  One supports the science by doing the science, or
by applying the science, regardless of whether one joins and pays
dues to any organization at all.  One can support it by way of public
relations, too, by popularizing it.  Writing books and instructional
materials about the science supports it.  Likewise, providing jobs
for people in the field, which Joe does, also supports it.

<<After September 11, there were several discussions of types of
responses to the terror that gripped our country, and Morrow most
definitely DID support bin Laden because in a tirade against those, myself
included, who argued for forceful consequences to meet the crisis of
terror,  >>

How would you know that, given that  you said you already deleted
all of his messages?  What are you relying upon, "long term memory"?
A hearty "guffaw!" is in order here.

<< Morrow withdrew from Behav-An because he did not want there to be
consequences for the terrorists. Evidently Morrow believes that persons
such as bin Laden are best dealt with by not using direct techniques. That
strategy, employed for 20 years preceding September 11, 2001, is the
fertilizer that allowed bin Laden and his followers to grow to their
terrible proportions, as we all know by now. >>

Not even the President of the United States agrees with you any longer.
In recent speeches the past two months bin Laden goes unmentioned.
When questioned, federal officials no longer say he's the objective,
or even an objective at all.  We've gone from "smoking him out!" to
"who's that?"

You do have a way with colorful metaphors -- "fertilizer," "grows" --
but it might be more interesting to try to analyze this situation
behaviorally, to the extent that that is possible (which it may not
be given that reliable information, which was already difficult to
come by in recent years, is even less available now -- you can't
rely on newspapers or TV news for the actual, sufficient facts
in order to conduct a real analysis, IMHO).

Give my regards to the wait staff who wait on you while you are
off on vacation,  -- JE