The Blank Slate The Modern Denial of Human Nature

About this book

Pinker challenges conventional wisdom that our thoughts and feelings seep into heads from the surrounding culture. This is the assumption behind discussions in dozens of areas, from how to reduce illiteracy and crime and how to lose weight and bring up children. Pinker argues that this all wrong: we are not blank slates, but are born with our characteristics in place - as species, gender and individual.

Contents

The blank slate, the noble savage and the ghost in the machine: the official theory; silly putty; the last wall to fall; culture vultures; the slate's last stand. Fear and loathing: political scientists; the Holy Trinity. Human nature with a human face: the fear of inequality; the fear of imperfectability; the fear of determinism; the fear of nihilism. Know thyself: in touch with reality; out of our depths; the many roots of our suffering; the sanctimonious animal. Hot buttons: politics; violence; gender; children; the arts. The voice of the species. Appendix: Donald E. Brown's list of human universals.

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Biography

Steven Pinker is one of the world's leading authorities on language and the mind. His popular and highly praised books include The Language Instinct and How The Mind Works. He is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at MIT.