The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker

Latest Episodes:

Rationality Under Threat: Steven Pinker On Academic Freedom at Dissident Dialogues Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

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.

Today we have what Dan Kahan calls expressive rationality which is allegiance to a social group, and right or left wing political loyalty - both of which often interfere with reasoned study and dialogue.

In an era where academic freedom is under threat, with individuals being canceled or fired for expressing their views, it is crucial to protect and develop our institutions of reason.

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Enlightenment Now (S1 EP20) Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

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 are our best hope for sustaining it in the future.

The History of Violence: From the Stone Age to the Present Day (S1 EP19) Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven walks you through the evolution of violence and how its trajectory has changed over the past two millennia.

Steven also delves into good and bad aspects of human nature while also looking at how civil and societal progress have impacted the prevalence of violence.

Why Do We Deny The Existence of Human Nature? (S1 EP18) Nov 16, 2022

Show notes

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.

Nature Vs. Nurture: What’s more impactful (S1 EP17) Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Since the Ancient Greeks discussed the origins of personality traits, the great debate of Nature vs. Nurture has been at the forefront of psychological debate.

In this episode, Steven discusses how genetics influences a person's personality and make-up as he debunks the fallacy that nurture has a greater influence on how we act.

What Makes Music So Universal? (S1 EP16) Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

Steven Pinker explains the incredible role of music in cultures around the world in his latest episode, providing substantial evidence to say that music is the labyrinth that connects us all.

What Evolution Reveals About Human Behavior (S1 EP15) Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Needless to say that evolution is responsible for all of our physical and psychological characteristics.

In this episode, Steven delves into evolutionary psychology, the study of behavior, thought, and emotion viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology.

He talks about our own adaptabilities throughout evolution as well as how human behaviors are influenced by physical and psychological predispositions that helped human ancestors survive and reproduce.

Why We All Fall Victim to Bystander Apathy (S1 EP14) Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

In the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven Pinker delves into the mind of a bystander and explains the social-psychological theory of bystander apathy, a phenomenon in which people are less likely to help others in groups than when they are alone.

The Eight Levels of Charitable Giving (S1 EP13) Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

With an interesting look into charity and generosity as a whole, Steven Pinker refers to Moses Maimonedes’s theory on the eight rungs of generosity in this new episode.

Donating for a good cause is never a bad idea, but why is it important to assess the situation and understand the process? With common knowledge in human communication evolving with us, we are all aware of the need for transaction with everything we do. As such, a particularly charitable act could come with a hefty invisible price tag if you don’t read the room.

Join the conversation as Pinker helps us understand why the payoff to charity exists, and how we can think our way around it.

Common knowledge and Its role in one’s life (S1 EP12) Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

In ‘Common Knowledge’ - Steven Pinker’s observation on the mechanics of subconscious human communication, he deciphers the way humans navigate situation and circumstance based on an honour system that has been in place through the ages.

For those interested in the workings of advanced human communications, Pinker issues this walkthrough for us to approach through our own experiences and perspectives relative to common knowledge.

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