The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

Authors

Steven Pinker

Document Type

Book

Journal/Book Title/Conference

The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

Publisher

Penguin Group

Publication Date

2002

Abstract

In The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading experts on language and the mind, explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. With characteristic wit, lucidity, and insight, Pinker argues that the dogma that the mind has no innate traits-a doctrine held by many intellectuals during the past century-denies our common humanity and our individual preferences, replaces objective analyses of social problems with feel-good slogans, and distorts our understanding of politics, violence, parenting, and the arts. Injecting calm and rationality into debates that are notorious for ax-grinding and mud-slinging, Pinker shows the importance of an honest acknowledgment of human nature based on science and common sense.

Comments

Originally published by Penguin Group. Limited preview available through remote link.

Recommended Citation

Pinker, Steven, "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" (2002). ADVANCE Library Collection. Paper 205.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/advance/205