A Note on Behaviorism

Abstract

The title is by Helmut Wagner replacing Schutz’s title, “Behaviorism”. Schutz had divided his manuscript into four sections, giving a title only to the third; Wagner provided the other subtitles. The manuscript itself is drawn from the extensive notes Schutz wrote in preparation for his first course, “The Theory of Social Action”, at the Graduate Faculty of the New School in 1943. Schutz’s notes are very condensed and cover about three pages, with short addenda scattered on other pages. The first page is divided into two columns, identified as “pro” and “con” arguments about behaviorism. On the other pages the arguments are dovetailed into each other. The reconstruction of Schutz’s abbreviated notes into a coherent whole for presentation here is by Wagner, his textual additions indicated in the usual way (< >).