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The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker

Latest episodes

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Jul 22, 2024 • 15min

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.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. #Rationality #AcademicFreedom #DissidentDialogues#Rationality #AcademicFreedom #DissidentDialogues #pinker #cognitivepsychology #podcast #psychology #science #stevenpinker #motivation #success #mindset #sound #mind #brain #imagination #languagedevelopment #language #words #magic #memorizing #social #mechanism #humanbehavior #fear #expressions #music #universal #genetics #equalitynow Follow me: Twitter: https://bitly.ws/3eEx6 Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Stevenpinkerpage/?_rdc=1&_rdr Website: https://stevenpinker.org/
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Nov 30, 2022 • 9min

Enlightenment Now (S1 EP20)

Steven Pinker, author of Enlightenment Now, explores the unnoticed progress of humanity, including longer lives, decline in poverty and diseases, and increased literacy rates. He emphasizes the importance of reason, science, and humanism in making progress and improving lives, and how they are our best hope for sustaining advancement in the future.
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Nov 23, 2022 • 11min

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

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.
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Nov 16, 2022 • 11min

Why Do We Deny The Existence of Human Nature? (S1 EP18)

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.
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Nov 9, 2022 • 11min

Nature Vs. Nurture: What’s more impactful (S1 EP17)

Delve into the timeless debate of Nature vs. Nurture, where genetics play a surprising role in shaping personality. Discover how twin studies reveal that heredity often trumps upbringing in influencing traits like intelligence. Unravel the complex interaction between genes and environment, challenging common beliefs about the power of parenting. This thought-provoking discussion reflects on what truly defines individual uniqueness and the intricate dance of nature and nurture in our lives.
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Nov 2, 2022 • 4min

What Makes Music So Universal? (S1 EP16)

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.
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Oct 26, 2022 • 13min

What Evolution Reveals About Human Behavior (S1 EP15)

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.
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Oct 19, 2022 • 8min

Why We All Fall Victim to Bystander Apathy (S1 EP14)

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.
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Oct 12, 2022 • 8min

The Eight Levels of Charitable Giving (S1 EP13)

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.
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Oct 5, 2022 • 7min

Common knowledge and Its role in one’s life (S1 EP12)

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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