Question

Discuss Skinner's ideas for a utopian society as described in Walden Two. Why do you think the book was so controversial when it was published? Do you think his ideas for society are applicable today, or are they still controversial?

Answer 1

"Utopia is a imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its citizens"

Skinner utopian society vision for enhansing social justice and human well being under themes of health,wealth and wisdom.

Physical health : Keeping individuals and community free from diseases and for promoting their physical wee being. These included minimizing crowds and isolating infants, as needed, to reduce the spread of infection, exposure to the out doors to manintain the immune system and insuring daily physical exercise and nutritious meals to ensure general health mantenance.

Mental health : Ensuring sufficient leisure time to pursue valued hobbies and interets. To reduce stress and providing sufficient opportunities for both group activities and [rivacy.

Community Health:  - Harmoney and cooperation, Distribution od community resources equally and maintaining one ness..

Environmental Health: Promoting sustainable agriculture, Reducing the use of scarce resources, recycling, reducing waste, and monitoring water quality..

Wealth : Skinner was concerned with practice that ensured freedom from pvoerty across the community and equal distribution of resources within it. Creating labor pool sufficient to meet the community needs and judiciously use of resources.

Wisdom : Wisdom that is the process and product of science, that is knowledge. The community engage in educational practices that ensure freedom from ignorance. Free and equal education is available to every member..

Part 2

Walden Two was skinners only work of fiction written in 1945 but not published until 1948. It wasa controversial because its charecters speak of a REJECTION of free will, including a rejection of the proposition that human behaviour is controlled by a non corporeal entity such as a spirit or a soul. Aslo criticized for dismissing purpose, mind and freedom, without which social justice putatively has no foundation..

Part 3 : This theory postulates " applying the science of behaviour to design a new & better society. This theory helps to shape a humanistic society based on cooperation, mutual help, non violence, health and ecological sustainability.