In this insightful discussion, Harvard professor and cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker, known for his work on human progress, uncovers surprising truths about our advancement as a species. He highlights how life expectancy and poverty rates have improved, yet warns of cognitive biases that distort our perceptions of progress. Pinker emphasizes the interplay between freedom and happiness, urging leaders to rely more on data than intuition. He advocates for a balanced understanding of history to navigate today’s global challenges and foster human well-being.
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insights INSIGHT
Progress Through History
Modern conveniences and democratic systems weren't always available.
These advancements resulted from human effort and valuing human life.
insights INSIGHT
Defining Human Progress
Human progress is defined by increases in human flourishing.
This includes essential elements like health, safety, and connection.
insights INSIGHT
Current State of Progress
Humanity is doing better than ever in many ways, including life expectancy and poverty reduction.
Despite ongoing suffering, these improvements are significant achievements.
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In 'Enlightenment Now', Steven Pinker presents a comprehensive argument that the values of the Enlightenment—reason, science, and humanism—have been instrumental in the progress of human society. He challenges the prevailing pessimism in modern discourse by presenting empirical evidence that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise globally. Pinker uses data and graphs to illustrate improvements in various aspects of human life, such as increased life expectancy, reduced child and maternal mortality, and advancements in medicine and technology. He also addresses the psychological biases that lead people to underestimate these improvements and emphasizes the importance of continuing to uphold Enlightenment ideals to ensure further progress.
The Blank Slate
Steven Pinker
The Beginning of Infinity
Explanations That Transform the World
David Deutsch
In this groundbreaking book, David Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. The book takes readers on a journey through various fields of science, history of civilization, art, moral values, and the theory of political institutions. Deutsch explains how we form new explanations and drop bad ones, and discusses the conditions under which progress, which he argues is potentially boundless, can and cannot happen. He emphasizes the importance of good explanations, which he defines as those that are 'hard to vary' and have 'reach', and argues that these explanations are central to the Enlightenment way of thinking and to all scientific and philosophical progress.
Renowned Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker studies the big questions facing human nature: Why do we fight? What helps us get along? How do we understand the world around us? His research has uncovered an insight we might not expect – that humanity is doing better than we might think. Despite host of major challenges that still exist, from geopolitical unrest to climate change, data shows that humans today live longer, face fewer wars, and live more comfortable lives than in preceding generations. He explains why a better understanding of progress and its uneven nature can help us better appreciate the unique moment of time in which we live, avoid decision-making blindspots and strengthen leaders’ confidence to solve the big complex problems we still face. This interview was recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos Switzerland in January 2025. About this episode: Steven Pinker: Future of Jobs report: Video podcast version of this interview: Transcript: Related Podcasts: Adam Grant: Future leaders won't succeed without this key trait How leaders can prepare teams for the future of work: ADP’s Chief Economist
World Economic Forum 
