Explain Putnam's theory of super Spartans against behaviorism.

Putnam's Theory of Super Spartans

Putnam's theory argues that Spartans are superhuman. This theory claims that these super Spartans can suppress their mental states and that behaviorism cannot explain this concept. In contrast, Putnam's theory denies the existence of super Spartans.

Final answer:

Putnam's theory critiques behaviorism, illustrating through the concept of super Spartans that behaviorism cannot account for suppressed mental states, thus highlighting the limitation of interpreting behavior solely based on external factors.

Explanation:

Putnam's theory as it relates to super Spartans criticizes behaviorism. The correct statement concerning Putnam's theory is that it argues behaviorism cannot fully explain the concept of super Spartans. This argument is based on a hypothetical scenario: if Spartans were able to suppress their feelings of pain or any other mental state they experienced due to their harsh training regimen, they could still exhibit behaviors consistent with experiencing pain without actually feeling it. This scenario poses a challenge to behaviorist views, which often interpret all human behavior in terms of observable actions influenced by external reinforcement and consequences.

Strict behaviorists, like B.F. Skinner, believe the environment solely molds behavior, disregarding the notion of unobservable mental states. Putnam's super Spartan argument illustrates that mental states are not always publicly observable and can exist independently from behavior, thus pointing out a limitation of behaviorism. It is a philosophical standpoint that human experiences, including pain and suffering, cannot be fully understood or predicted through observations of behavior alone, considering the internal, subjective nature of these experiences.