B.F. Skinner

"The measure of learning is not what we remember but what we can do."

"Control is inevitable in any society; the question is who controls and for what purpose."

"Innovation occurs when contingencies suddenly change and force new adaptive behaviors."

"Life has meaning only to the extent that our behavior produces reinforcing consequences."

"The essence of being human is not consciousness but the capacity to be shaped by contingencies."

"Communication succeeds when both parties operate under similar behavioral contingencies."

"Tradition persists because it has proven effective at generating reinforcing consequences."

"The future can be changed by modifying the contingencies that shape present behavior."

"Learning is the process of adjusting behavior in response to changing contingencies."

"Society functions best when its contingencies reward prosocial behavior consistently."

"Children learn what they live with, not what they are lectured about."

"The most effective teacher understands the contingencies that reinforce learning."

"Technology amplifies our ability to control and shape behavioral contingencies."

"Success is simply behavior that produces desired reinforcing consequences consistently."

"The paradox of freedom is that unlimited choice often produces less satisfying outcomes."

"We become what our contingencies make us, not what we wish to be."

"Belief in personal agency is often an illusion created by incomplete understanding of contingencies."

"The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior under similar contingencies."

"Morality is behavior shaped by social contingencies, not by inherent principles."

"The mind is not a thing but a process of behavioral adjustment to environmental demands."

"The real problem is that the world is designed for people who are sure of themselves."

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

"We are not going to change our society unless we change our behavior."

"The most important thing is to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish."

"Freedom is not something that anybody can be given; freedom is something people take."

"Creativity is just connecting things."

"The things we fear most are usually the things we need to do."

"Punishment may suppress behavior temporarily, but it does not change the underlying motivation."

"The pursuit of happiness is self-defeating."

"Technology is best used to augment human capability, not replace it."