Consequences of Behaviorism: Sellars and de Laguna on Explanation. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Olen, Peter
• Other Names: Henderson David guest-editor.; Risjord Mark guest-editor.; Roth Paul guest-editor.; Turner Stephen guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Philosophy of the social sciences. Volume 47:Number 2(2017:May)
• Page Start: 111
• Page End: 131
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Wilfrid Sellars -- normativity -- behaviorism -- language -- meaning -- explanation; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Méthodologie -- Périodiques; 300.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0048393116672829
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0048-3931

Abstract

I explore conceptual tensions that emerge between Wilfrid Sellars' and Grace de Laguna's adoption of behaviorism. Despite agreeing on various points (e.g., the social nature of language and behavior, a methodological commitment to behaviorism), I argue that Sellars' and de Laguna's positions represent a split between normativist and descriptivist approaches to explanation that are generally incompatible, and I explore how both positions claim conceptual priority.