Defending Jacob

“I have in mind an experiment. Take an infant-regardless of ancestry, race, talent, or predilection, so long as he is essentially healthy-and I will make of him whatever you like. I will produce an artist, soldier, doctor, lawyer, priest; or I will raise him to be a thief. You may decide. The infant is equally capable of all these things. All that is required is training, time, and a properly controlled environmment.”

— John F. Watkins, Principles of Behaviorism (1913)