On the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven discusses his most controversial book, The Blank Slate, the fabric of which is human nature's moral, political and emotional colorings.
He also touches on the numerous aspects of human nature including fear, morality, and finding meaning in life.
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 2022
Enlightenment Now (S1 EP20)
In his latest and last episode of the series, Steven Pinker discusses his magisterial book, Enlightenment Now. According to Steven, humanism, reason, and science—the three pillars of enlightenment, has historically fueled enormous advancement in virtually every facet of life and ... Show More
8m 43s
Aug 2025
How common knowledge shapes the world | Steven Pinker
Common knowledge is the secret engine of social life, letting us coordinate everything from meet-ups to markets to international diplomacy. In this fascinating talk, experimental cognitive scientist Steven Pinker explores its momentous impact, threading together stories of why au ... Show More
15m 20s
Dec 2024
#395 — Intellectual Authority and Its Discontents
<p>Sam Harris discusses the breakdown of trust in institutions, the nature of intellectual authority, the danger of bad incentives, the epidemic of conspiracy thinking and misinformation, Trump and Elon, and other topics.</p> <p dir="ltr">If the Making Sense podcast logo in your ... Show More
31m 28s
<p id="yui_3_17_2_1_1533130642710_813">As Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, Steven Pinker's list of accomplishments is incredible; he has been named Humanist of the Year, <em>a top</em> "100 Global Thinker" by <em>Foreign Policy and</em> included in <em>Time</em> mag ... Show More
