Autism and Behavior Analysis: From Dissonance to Dialogue

Questions about human behavior and diversity have captured the attention of scientists from a wide range of philosophical stances for centuries. While behavior analysts would argue that natural science is an enlightening perspective when applied to the understanding of the human condition, at times arguments within certain campaigns would prefer Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to be banned or abolished. In this paper we discuss some of the roots of this stance and suggest a way forward based on what are basically complementary views on the goals enshrined in rights-based practice.