In his new book, “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters,” Steven Pinker writes: “When humans set themselves the goal of improving the welfare of their fellows … and they apply their ingenuity in institutions that pool it with others’, they occasionally succeed. When they retain the successes and take note of the failures, the benefits ... Show More
Jul 27
The Lost Art of Asking Questions
In the age of AI, endless information, and instant certainty, philosopher Lani Watson argues that questions — not answers — are humanity's greatest intellectual advantage. Today, she explains why curiosity is a biological superpower, why schools unintentionally teach us to stop q ... Show More
1h 15m
Jul 23
Sorry, Skeptics — AI Is Not a Bubble
First, a few numbers. This year Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta will spend more than $700 billion building AI infrastructure. There are 1,500 data centers in development across the country. AI-linked stocks make up at least 40% of the S&P 500. These are the kinds of numbers ... Show More
1h 18m
Jul 2024
Rationality Under Threat: Steven Pinker On Academic Freedom at Dissident Dialogues
I spoke on Human Rationality and Academic Freedom at the Dissident Dialogues event in New York this year. Drawing from my book, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, I explore why rational thinking is essential yet slowly becoming elusive in our society. T ... Show More
14m 46s
Nov 2021
593: Steven Pinker | Why Rationality Seems Scarce
Steven Pinker (@sapinker) is a psychology professor at Harvard, one of the world's leading authorities on language and the mind, and an author of several bestsellers. His latest is Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters. What We Discuss with Steven Pinker: W ... Show More
1h 4m
Jan 2021
Can We Build a More Rational World?
Steven Pinker dares to believe that human beings are better off than ever before in human history. A world-renowned linguist, Pinker has dedicated his career to unveiling the ways by which we express our human nature through our language, behaviors, and beliefs. In an era often p ... Show More
1h 14m