Abstract

The central issue that concerns Taylor is the opposition between the claims of mechanistic and teleological explanation of human behavior. This presupposes that we are clear about what is at issue here. The first part of this book is dedicated to a conceptual untangling of the skein of issues involved. Taylor then turns to a careful examination of the mechanistic type of explanation characteristic of behavioristically oriented psychologies. He argues that these fail to account adequately for distinctively human behavior. But this does not decide the issue in favor of teleological explanation. Deciding between these two modes of explanation is an empirical matter, and the evidence is now insufficient for a definite answer. Though the conclusion is modest, the insight and subtlety displayed in Taylor's analysis make this an extremely important book for anyone who wants to get to the heart of the issue of a distinctive mode of explanation for human behavior.—R. J. B.