Pavlov and the Book

[Henry M]

My compliments. Good points, tersely put.

On  3 Nov 96 at 10:12, Tom Stanton wrote:

> Not an expert, but it appears TRP is making liberal use of Pavlov
> because B.F. Skinner's work on behavioralism doesn't really become
> current until after WW2. In the "GR Companion" Weisenburger sez The
> Book is "Conditioned Reflexes" & calls the rotation among Pavlovians
> melodramatic. I think the conspiritorial passing of The Book makes a
> backhanded point that the Pavlovians worship arcana just like the
> spiritualist in the previous section.
> 
> ...Random Thoughts:
> 
> Thinking back over the past 4 sections I noticed an intersting
> pattern regarding human behavior: fantasy (Pirate), paranoia
> (Slothrop), mysti- cism (Jessica), "love" (Mexico), and ,now,
> behavioralism (Pointsman). If indeed Pirate has Slothrop fantasies,
> it appears Roger/Jess are having Pirate's fantasies. Slothrop's busy
> love life is the inverse of Pirate's lack of any love. What ties it
> together? Death (mysticism) and science (behavioralism). Nice set
> up..
> 
> On re-read, I was also struck by Jessica's dart game at the seance.
> Wonderful counterpoint on rockets & statistical improbibility (a
> bullseye on the first throw). Tasty touches.
> 

Keep Cool, but care. -- TRP
http://www.nicom.com/~gravity