Conceptions of the Active Organism: Discussion

摘要

Overtone’s structuralist organism is modeled as active, whether or not it is really active, because of the metaphysical position underlying structuralism. Baer’s empirical-behaviorist organism could perhaps be active but is only a host of active behaviors according to the available evidence Baer accepts. White’s theoretical-behaviorist organism is empirically active but theoretically responsive: its activity is a derived phenomenon. Cross-model communication is evident in all three papers: Overton contrasts the underlying metaphysics; Baer borrows tasks; and White borrows concepts. However, because the alternative organisms come from different ‘schools’, the evident detente among them cannot become a menag