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Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb joins Brian Keating to discuss a groundbreaking observation: the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has imaged 3I/ATLAS, a rare interstellar visitor, from the vantage point of Mars. In this episode, we explore: • What HiRISE detected and why it matters for planetary science. • How interstellar objects like ʻOumuamua and 3I/ATLAS challenge our theories. • Why Mars may become an ideal outpost for detecting future interstellar visitors. • The implications for astrobiology, planetary defense, and our search for extraterrestrial technology. ✨ Just as the 1977 “Wow! Signal” jolted radio astronomers with a one-time unexplained burst, 3I/ATLAS may be its optical cousin—an anomalous, fleeting, but potentially transformative messenger. Loeb even calculated that 3I/ATLAS's trajectory passed within about one degree of the Wow! Signal's sky position, making the connection more than metaphorical. Ignoring such rare alignments risks repeating history: anomalies slip through our fingers while orthodoxy insists nothing unusual happened. The Wow! Signal warned us of the danger of complacency; 3I/ATLAS reminds us that cosmic surprises often lurk at the margins of expectation, carrying lessons we may miss if we force every mystery into old categories. -
The experimental cognitive psychologist and popular science writer, Steven Pinker delves into the intricacies of human interactions in his latest book, ‘When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Science of Harmony, Hypocrisy and Outrage'. From avoiding the elephant in the room to the outing of the emperor's new clothes, Pinker reveals the paradoxes of human behaviour. Common knowledge can bind people and communities together in a shared purpose, but Aleks Krotoski, the presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Artificial Human and The Digital Human, journeys to the fringes of human endeavour in The Immortalists. There, Silicon Valley tech billionaires are using their wealth to focus on their own futures, attempting to disrupt and defy their own mortality.How people behave to strangers and how much they're willing to spend to help them, is at the heart of David Edmonds's biography of the philosopher Peter Singer. Death in a Shallow Pond considers Singer's most famous thought experiment and his contention that we're morally obliged to come to the aid of those less fortunate if we can. It's a practical philosophy that has divided opinion, but also inspired a new movement of effective altruism.Producer: Katy Hickman Assistant Producer: Natalia Fernandez
How does common knowledge become… common knowledge? Steven Pinker is a cognitive psychologist and professor at Harvard University. He joins Preet to discuss his latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life, about how shared awareness shapes norms and shifts collective behavior. Then, Preet answers your questions about America's very first law enforcement agency and Border Czar Tom Homan's alleged $50,000 bribe. In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Pinker discuss how laughter and comedy informs common knowledge and vice versa. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBhararaon Twitter or Bluesky with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Erneut besprechen André und Frank ein bekannteres Werk aus der Schaffensphase von Horror-Altmeister Wes Craven "Scream". In "Shocker" lebt Serienmörder Horace Pinker nach seiner Hinrichtung auf dem elektrischen Stuhl als reine Energie weiter und kann durch elektrische Leitungen in andere Körper schlüpfen. Der Teenager Jonathan Parker, der eine mentale Verbindung zu Pinker hat, versucht mit Hilfe seiner Freundin, den mörderischen Geist aufzuhalten und zu besiegen.
The Rising Risks of Cancel Culture & The Psychology & Language That Built It! In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Steven Pinker (renowned Harvard psychologist and author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows) joins Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen for a no-holds-barred conversation that quickly turns into a fiery debate on the limits of science, belief, and human consciousness. From the hidden mechanics of social dynamics and language to the perils of thought policing and cancel culture, Dr. Pinker dives deep into how shared knowledge shapes society, why what people think others believe can shift power, and how social media became a modern-day coliseum for public shaming. But the sparks really fly when Mayim and Jonathan challenge Pinker's staunchly materialist worldview — questioning whether extrasensory perception (ESP), near death experiences (NDEs), and higher consciousness might point to something beyond the reach of scientific instruments. Pinker doesn't hold back, offering his sharply skeptical takes on mystical claims and pushing back against spiritual notions with cool-headed logic. Dr. Pinker also breaks down: - Why what others think of us actually matters - Dangers of being too direct or too indirect — especially for neurodivergent folks - How to create or hide common knowledge in relationships - The first case of cancel culture on social media (and its ancient roots!) - The thin line between freedom of speech and incitement to violence - How distrust in science fuels conspiracy theories - Can we depoliticize science? Or is it already too late? - The danger of defunding academic research - Why authoritarian regimes fear open communication - The healthcare system: overprescription, profit motives, and how to fix it - Is free will real? Or are we just dancing to the tune of biology and environment? Don't miss MBB's first-ever toe-to-toe spiritual showdown between Mayim, Jonathan, and a die-hard materialist. Whether you lean scientific, spiritual, or somewhere in between, this conversation will challenge what you think you know about reality. Dr. Steven Pinker's latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge And The Mysteries Of Money, Power, And Everyday Life: https://stevenpinker.com/publications/when-everyone-knows-everyone-knows-common-knowledge-and-mysteries-money-power-and Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Steven Pinker returns to Conversations with Tyler with an argument that common knowledge—those infinite loops of "I know that you know that I know"—is the hidden infrastructure that enables human coordination, from accepting paper money to toppling dictators. But Tyler wonders: if most real-world coordination works fine without recursively looping (a glance at a traffic circle), if these models break down with the slightest change in assumptions, and if anonymous internet posters are making correct but uncomfortable truths common knowledge when society might function better with noble lies, is Pinker's theory really capturing how coordination works—and might we actually need less common knowledge, not more? Tyler and Steven probe these dimensions of common knowledge—Schelling points, differential knowledge, benign hypocrisies like a whisky bottle in a paper bag—before testing whether rational people can actually agree (spoiler: they can't converge on Hitchcock rankings despite Aumann's theorem), whether liberal enlightenment will reignite and why, what stirring liberal thinkers exist under the age 55, why only a quarter of Harvard students deserve A's, how large language models implicitly use linguistic insights while ignoring linguistic theory, his favorite track on Rubber Soul, what he'll do next, and more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded September 12th, 2025. This episode was made possible through the support of the John Templeton Foundation. Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow Steven on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here.
Your brain isn't as rational as you think, and that blind spot can wreck your decision-making, relationships, and even your health. In this episode, you'll learn how to spot the hidden cognitive traps that even the smartest people fall for, and how to upgrade your thinking so you can perform better, live longer, and make choices that actually serve you. Watch the condensed video highlight version of this episode (and much more!) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR Host Dave Asprey sits down with Steven Pinker, a world-renowned cognitive psychologist, Harvard professor, and bestselling author whose research reshaped how we understand language, bias, social norms, and rationality. Pinker's decades of scholarship make him a trusted guide to the mechanics of the mind and the behaviors that either elevate or derail human performance and longevity. Together they break down how the brain actually reasons, why smart people still fall for tribal thinking, what current AI gets wrong about human intelligence, and how “common knowledge” quietly governs cooperation, law, and civility. This is a masterclass in brain optimization through better thinking, built for people who care about biohacking, hacking mental models, neuroplasticity, and high-performance decision-making. You'll learn: • How to recognize and counter the “my-side bias,” even if you're highly intelligent • Why common knowledge creates and sustains social norms and coordination • The art of indirect speech and tact, and how to calibrate your words to reduce social risk • Simple upgrades that make video calls feel closer to real eye contact and why that boosts trust • What today's AI gets wrong about minds and why models hallucinate • Rational habits that work in the real world: steelmanning, probabilistic thinking, adversarial collaboration, and making bets as a tax on bad arguments • Why liberal democracy fits human nature better than autocracy and how norms erode or hold • How to rebuild face-to-face social skills in a screen-first culture to improve resilience and performance This is essential listening for fans of biohacking, brain optimization, human performance, neuroplasticity, and longevity who want clear, usable frameworks to think better and live better with Dave Asprey. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (audio-only), and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: Steven Pinker, cognitive psychology, rational thinking, my-side bias, human nature, common knowledge, cognitive bias, AI and human intelligence, democracy and human behavior, social norms psychology, decision-making hacks, brain optimization, biohacking the mind, mental performance, neuroplasticity, rationality movement, bias and longevity, functional intelligence, Human Upgrade podcast, Dave Asprey, thinking traps, steelmanning, epistemic humility, outrage economy, psychology of power, critical thinking upgrade, hacking human performance Thank you to our sponsors! KILLSwitch | If you're ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/ and use code DAVE for 20% off. Timeline | Head to https://www.timeline.com/dave to get 10% off your first order. Our Place | Head to https://fromourplace.com/ and use the code DAVE for 10% off your order. **Order Steven's new book WHEN EVERYONE KNOWS THAT EVERYONE KNOWS...: COMMON KNOWLEDGE AND THE MYSTERIES OF MONEY, POWER, AND EVERYDAY LIFE: HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/V685EVZR Resources: • Steven's Website: https://stevenpinker.com/ • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/DAVE15 • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com• Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com • 40 Years of Zen: https://40yearsofzen.com Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 0:59 — Introduction 1:58 — Human Nature 3:30 — Cognitive Psychology 5:46 — Academia Path 7:32 — Canada vs. U.S. 8:42 — College Value 12:08 — Curiosity 15:25 — Government & Humans 19:56 — AI & Cognition 24:45 — Fairness & Justice 32:56 — Social Norms 47:12 — Communication Skills 55:32 — Virtual Society 57:20 — Personal Biases See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Rising Risks of Cancel Culture & The Psychology & Language That Built It! In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Steven Pinker (renowned Harvard psychologist and author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows) joins Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen for a no-holds-barred conversation that quickly turns into a fiery debate on the limits of science, belief, and human consciousness. From the hidden mechanics of social dynamics and language to the perils of thought policing and cancel culture, Dr. Pinker dives deep into how shared knowledge shapes society, why what people think others believe can shift power, and how social media became a modern-day coliseum for public shaming. But the sparks really fly when Mayim and Jonathan challenge Pinker's staunchly materialist worldview — questioning whether extrasensory perception (ESP), near death experiences (NDEs), and higher consciousness might point to something beyond the reach of scientific instruments. Pinker doesn't hold back, offering his sharply skeptical takes on mystical claims and pushing back against spiritual notions with cool-headed logic. Dr. Pinker also breaks down: - Why what others think of us actually matters - Dangers of being too direct or too indirect — especially for neurodivergent folks - How to create or hide common knowledge in relationships - The first case of cancel culture on social media (and its ancient roots!) - The thin line between freedom of speech and incitement to violence - How distrust in science fuels conspiracy theories - Can we depoliticize science? Or is it already too late? - The danger of defunding academic research - Why authoritarian regimes fear open communication - The healthcare system: overprescription, profit motives, and how to fix it - Is free will real? Or are we just dancing to the tune of biology and environment? Don't miss MBB's first-ever toe-to-toe spiritual showdown between Mayim, Jonathan, and a die-hard materialist. Whether you lean scientific, spiritual, or somewhere in between, this conversation will challenge what you think you know about reality. Dr. Steven Pinker's latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge And The Mysteries Of Money, Power, And Everyday Life: https://stevenpinker.com/publications/when-everyone-knows-everyone-knows-common-knowledge-and-mysteries-money-power-and Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As a leader, psychology is fundamental to your success - whether that means understanding consumer behavior, team dynamics, or even your own biases and blind spots. Harvard professor Steven Pinker says that an important phenomena to understand is that of common knowledge and its downstream effects. It's the idea that there is power in knowledge, but also power in knowing what other people know - and that when a large group of people know what others around them know, and vice versa, that's when major change can happen. He explains how common knowledge underlies meme stocks, the rise of crypto, meeting etiquette and the success of Super Bowl ads. Pinker wrote the new book When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows . . .: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.
Common knowledge is necessary for coordination, for making arbitrary but complementary choices like driving on the right, using paper currency, and coalescing behind a political leader or movement. It's also necessary for social coordination. Humans have a sixth sense for common knowledge, and we create it with signals like laughter, tears, blushing, eye contact, and blunt speech. But people also go to great lengths to avoid common knowledge—to ensure that even if everyone knows something, they can't know that everyone else knows they know it. And so we get rituals like benign hypocrisy, veiled bribes and threats, sexual innuendo, and pretending not to see the elephant in the room. Pinker shows how the hidden logic of common knowledge can make sense of many of life's enigmas: financial bubbles and crashes, revolutions that come out of nowhere, the posturing and pretense of diplomacy, the eruption of social media shaming mobs and academic cancel culture, the awkwardness of a first date. Steven Pinker is the Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, and one of Time's “100 Most Influential People in the World Today.” He has won many prizes for his teaching, his research on language, cognition, and social relations, and his twelve books. His new book is When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.
Why what isn't said can communicate more than what is spoken.We often speak in hints and half-truths, not because we can't be direct, but because subtlety protects our relationships. “An awful lot of the time, we don't just blurt out what we mean,” says Steven Pinker. “We hint, we wink, we beat around the bush — counting on our listener to read between the lines, connect the dots, catch our drift.”Pinker is the Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, a celebrated linguist and cognitive scientist, and the author of twelve influential books. His latest, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life, explores how our shared understanding of awareness — what Steven refers to as common knowledge — and the way we signal it, governs everything from friendships to authority to negotiations. “Common knowledge is what ratifies or annuls social relationships, and that's why blurting something out that contradicts the assumptions of the relationship can blow everything up and be deeply awkward.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Pinker joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss why humans lean on innuendo, euphemism, and strategic ambiguity. They examine how culture and context shape what we hear, why our social fabric depends on more than just literal meaning, and offer practical ways to refine our communication by paying attention not just to what we say, but to what others know we know.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.Episode Reference Links:Steven PinkerSteven's Book: When Everyone Knows That Everyone KnowsEp.91 Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective CommunicationEp.225 Speaking Fluent Internet: How Algorithms Are Changing the Way We Speak Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:23) - Why We Speak Indirectly (06:39) - The Role of Context (10:35) - Cross-Cultural Perspectives (11:51) - Hypocrisy as Social Glue (13:43) - Clarity, Conciseness, & Grace (17:07) - Metaphors We Live By (20:06) - The Final Three Questions (24:02) - Conclusion ********Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.Build a better website with Squarespace today. Try Squarespace free for 14 days and receive 10% off your first purchase Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium.
Puedes descargar (gratis) el GPT que empleo para lograr pensamiento crítico. Es un asistente escéptico y no tendrá ningún problema en criticar tu punto de vista y evitar que te autoengañes: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/gpt-criticoncillo/ ¿Qué harías si pudieras pensar mejor… todos los días? En este episodio converso con Val Muñoz (Polymatas) sobre pensamiento crítico de alto nivel: cómo evitar sesgos, distinguir correlación de causalidad y tomar decisiones con más claridad (sin caer en la parálisis por análisis). Hablamos de ciencia como ecosistema que se fiscaliza, de metacognición, de falacias y de cómo construir un hombre de acero antes de debatir. ✔️ Dónde falla el “escéptico puro” y qué le falta para pensar bien. ✔️ Herramientas prácticas: “por qué / cómo”, pausa de Sistema 2 y abogado del diablo. ✔️ Estadística útil para la vida (muestra, media vs. mediana). ✔️ Dieta informativa: menos ruido, más fuentes sólidas y diversas. ✔️ Pronóstico y decisión: flexibilidad cognitiva y actualización constante. Si te interesan la claridad mental, las decisiones difíciles y la verdad por encima de la tribu, este episodio te va a encantar. ⏳ ÍNDICE DEL EPISODIO 00:00 – Introducción y por qué importa el pensamiento crítico 01:05 – Quién es Val Muñoz y qué es Polymatas 02:33 – Definición sencilla: “búsqueda sistemática de la verdad” 05:05 – Escepticismo necesario… pero no suficiente 08:29 – Correlación vs. causalidad: cómo se prueba de verdad 11:04 – Buenas prácticas: intervención, ciegos y tamaño muestral 12:42 – Crisis de replicación y preregistro: incentivos en ciencia 16:16 – Conocerte a ti mismo: limitaciones y sesgos propios 17:30 – Metacognición: pensar sobre tu pensamiento 19:12 – Hipótesis (inducción/abducción) vs. realidad 22:32 – Ciencia, poder y por qué sigue siendo la mejor herramienta 24:25 – Populismo, carisma y heurísticos para no caer 26:31 – Filósofos, citas y sesgo de autoridad 29:15 – Estadística práctica: media vs. mediana (salarios) 31:33 – Falacias: hombre de paja y ad hominem 35:33 – “Hombre de acero” y el sesgo del punto ciego 41:13 – Referentes que piensan a varios ángulos (Pinker, Feynman, Scott Alexander) 43:46 – Kit táctico: preguntas, pausas, refutación y amigos que te lleven la contraria 46:20 – Dieta informativa: poco, variado y de calidad 47:57 – Superpronosticadores: flexibilidad cognitiva 50:14 – Dunning–Kruger y el autoengaño del muy listo 52:08 – La Biblioteca Polymata y debatir sin marrullería 52:38 – Curso de Pensamiento Crítico (10 meses) 52:57 – Cierre Descarga gratis el libro «Nacidos para aprender»: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/libro-nacidos-para-aprender/ ✉️ Únete a mi lista de correos para ideas que te hacen pensar (y decidir mejor): https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/ EL METAJUEGO: máster en complejidad estratégica: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/cursos/metajuego/ Asistente de IA para criticar tus propios pensamientos: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/gpt-criticoncillo/ Val Muñoz (Polymatas): Polymatas – Artículos, podcast y recursos para pensar mejor y entender el mundo con rigor y curiosidad. https://www.polymatas.com/ Biblioteca Polymatas – Comunidad de lectores donde leemos los 50 libros más importantes para comprender el mundo. https://www.polymatas.com/la-biblioteca-polymata/ Curso Avanzado de Pensamiento Crítico – Programa de 10 meses para razonar con más claridad, detectar sesgos y analizar discursos. https://www.polymatas.com/curso-pensamiento-critico/ Mis redes: X (Twitter) → https://x.com/Lualobus Instagram personal → https://instagram.com/fernando_pdc Instagram oficial → https://instagram.com/pildorasdelconocimiento
Puedes descargar (gratis) el GPT que empleo para lograr pensamiento crítico. Es un asistente escéptico y no tendrá ningún problema en criticar tu punto de vista y evitar que te autoengañes: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/gpt-criticoncillo/ ¿Qué harías si pudieras pensar mejor… todos los días? En este episodio converso con Val Muñoz (Polymatas) sobre pensamiento crítico de alto nivel: cómo evitar sesgos, distinguir correlación de causalidad y tomar decisiones con más claridad (sin caer en la parálisis por análisis). Hablamos de ciencia como ecosistema que se fiscaliza, de metacognición, de falacias y de cómo construir un hombre de acero antes de debatir. ✔️ Dónde falla el “escéptico puro” y qué le falta para pensar bien. ✔️ Herramientas prácticas: “por qué / cómo”, pausa de Sistema 2 y abogado del diablo. ✔️ Estadística útil para la vida (muestra, media vs. mediana). ✔️ Dieta informativa: menos ruido, más fuentes sólidas y diversas. ✔️ Pronóstico y decisión: flexibilidad cognitiva y actualización constante. Si te interesan la claridad mental, las decisiones difíciles y la verdad por encima de la tribu, este episodio te va a encantar. ⏳ ÍNDICE DEL EPISODIO 00:00 – Introducción y por qué importa el pensamiento crítico 01:05 – Quién es Val Muñoz y qué es Polymatas 02:33 – Definición sencilla: “búsqueda sistemática de la verdad” 05:05 – Escepticismo necesario… pero no suficiente 08:29 – Correlación vs. causalidad: cómo se prueba de verdad 11:04 – Buenas prácticas: intervención, ciegos y tamaño muestral 12:42 – Crisis de replicación y preregistro: incentivos en ciencia 16:16 – Conocerte a ti mismo: limitaciones y sesgos propios 17:30 – Metacognición: pensar sobre tu pensamiento 19:12 – Hipótesis (inducción/abducción) vs. realidad 22:32 – Ciencia, poder y por qué sigue siendo la mejor herramienta 24:25 – Populismo, carisma y heurísticos para no caer 26:31 – Filósofos, citas y sesgo de autoridad 29:15 – Estadística práctica: media vs. mediana (salarios) 31:33 – Falacias: hombre de paja y ad hominem 35:33 – “Hombre de acero” y el sesgo del punto ciego 41:13 – Referentes que piensan a varios ángulos (Pinker, Feynman, Scott Alexander) 43:46 – Kit táctico: preguntas, pausas, refutación y amigos que te lleven la contraria 46:20 – Dieta informativa: poco, variado y de calidad 47:57 – Superpronosticadores: flexibilidad cognitiva 50:14 – Dunning–Kruger y el autoengaño del muy listo 52:08 – La Biblioteca Polymata y debatir sin marrullería 52:38 – Curso de Pensamiento Crítico (10 meses) 52:57 – Cierre Descarga gratis el libro «Nacidos para aprender»: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/libro-nacidos-para-aprender/ ✉️ Únete a mi lista de correos para ideas que te hacen pensar (y decidir mejor): https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/ EL METAJUEGO: máster en complejidad estratégica: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/cursos/metajuego/ Asistente de IA para criticar tus propios pensamientos: https://pildorasdelconocimiento.com/gpt-criticoncillo/ Val Muñoz (Polymatas): Polymatas – Artículos, podcast y recursos para pensar mejor y entender el mundo con rigor y curiosidad. https://www.polymatas.com/ Biblioteca Polymatas – Comunidad de lectores donde leemos los 50 libros más importantes para comprender el mundo. https://www.polymatas.com/la-biblioteca-polymata/ Curso Avanzado de Pensamiento Crítico – Programa de 10 meses para razonar con más claridad, detectar sesgos y analizar discursos. https://www.polymatas.com/curso-pensamiento-critico/ Mis redes: X (Twitter) → https://x.com/Lualobus Instagram personal → https://instagram.com/fernando_pdc Instagram oficial → https://instagram.com/pildorasdelconocimiento
Serial killer Horus Pinker has been put to death for his crimes and now he is really mad. Bent on revenge, Pinker cheats death to seek revenge on his only living family member, his son, in Shocker (1989). Trish and Jason will electrify you as they rethink and remake this Wes Craven, cult classic, horror, comedy and shock you with their unique fantasy casting. Support independent podcasts like ours by telling your friends and family how to find us at places like Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tune In Radio, PodChaser, Amazon Music, Audible, Libsyn, iHeartRadio and all the best podcast providers. Spread the love! Like, share and subscribe! You can also help out the show with a positive review and a 5-star rating over on iTunes / Apple Podcasts. We want to hear from you and your opinions will help shape the future of the show. Your ratings and reviews also help others find the show. Their "earballs" will thank you. https://invasionoftheremake.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on BlueSky: @invasionremake.bsky.social Follow us on X/Twitter: @InvasionRemake Like and share us on Facebook, Instagram & Tik-Tok: Invasion of the Remake Email us your questions, suggestions, corrections, challenges and comments: invasionoftheremake@gmail.com Buy a cool t-shirt, hoodies, hats, and other Invasion of the Remake swag at our merchandise store!
Why do humans sing — and why has singing together been a part of human culture for as long as we can remember? In this talk, we explore the surprising science, deep history, and spiritual significance of song — both inside and outside the church.We'll cover: • Song Psychology – how music rewires the brain and shapes memory • Social Bonding – why singing together builds connection and trust • Neural Pathways – what happens in your brain when you sing • Healing & Wellbeing – how singing boosts mood, reduces stress, and strengthens communityFrom ancient evolutionary debates (Pinker vs. Darwin) to the earliest Christian hymns, from Frozen earworms to Paul's letters in the New Testament — you'll see how music has always been more than just entertainment.Whether you're a trained vocalist or someone who can't hold a tune, you'll discover why singing is one of the most human things you can do… and why you should probably do it more often.
por Yaiza Santos Si no se había ocupado antes de los negocios del fallecido suegro del presidente del Gobierno es porque las noticias tenían, hasta ahora, el aire turbio de las cloacas. Ahora que el jefe de la oposición lo acredita, sacando el asunto en la tribuna del Congreso, es de obligada atención. Repitió lo que ha escrito: asumir la responsabilidad sobre una herencia oscura no es fácil, pero lo que es indudable es que Sánchez no lo ha encarado con la transparencia de la que tanto presume. Ah, qué ajenas les resultan las sesiones parlamentarias. De la última anotó varias escenas como quien toma cerezas de un plato, unas enlazadas con otras. Como la concesión del Presidente a su dominatrix Nogueras cuando se refirió a «la identidad nacional de Cataluña», o la ignorancia que demuestra Rufián al llamar genocidio a la matanza real que ocurre en Gaza. De Vox criticó la mala educación de Abascal y despreció la pretensión totalitaria de tener inmigrantes adaptados. Así las cosas, rió con el resumen que del pleno hizo Jordi Turull –«muy español y dantesco»–, quien pidió las sales por los asuntos prostibularios sacados a colación. ¡Hombre, hombre, cuando Barcelona es la ciudad con más putas por metro cuadrado! Con felicidad, comunicó las últimas noticias sobre la colecta para Ahmed Tommouhi, que recibirá su regalo cuando llegue septiembre, y comentó el burning paper de la semana. No sin desazón: el universalismo de la Ilustración del que tanto habla su admirado Pinker está en retroceso. Y fue así que Espada yiró. Bibliografía Pascal Bruckner, La tentación de la inocencia Telecinco, «Un cerdo vietnamita deambula por la playa del Rinconcillo de Algeciras y acaba 'detenido' por la Policía» Michael Jetter, «Sobre la evolución del universalismo moral después de la Ilustración», IZA - Instituto de Economía Laboral, abril de 2024 Banda sonora See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The science behind social connection is clear: volunteerism and face-to-face contact with our community members are essential for our well-being.Susan Pinker is a psychologist and author of the book The Village Effect. This special episode of The Conversation Piece features content from her presentation at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism, supported by The Belonging Forum, an initiative of the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness.Pinker spoke at The Walrus Talks: Reimagining Volunteerism on April 15, 2025.To register for upcoming events happening online or in a city near you, and to catch up on our archive of The Walrus Talks, visit thewalrus.ca/events.And subscribe to The Walrus Events newsletter for updates and announcements at thewalrus.ca/newsletters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future. Richard leads the discussion, questioning Steve about his extensive catalogue of books and his contributions to psychology, sociology, and evolutionary theory. They focus a lot on the past but, eventually, get on to the future. It's a brilliant exchange, covering a wide range of topics and packed with some of Pinker's most important insights. The first part of this podcast special is their free-flowing conversation; the second is a Q&A with the audience, hosted by Jack. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the show possible. Without further ado, here's the audio from our live show – we hope you enjoy the conversation. Links Steven Pinker, Website Richard Dawkins, Website
Welcome to Episode 144 (Part I of II), where Richard Dawkins interviews Steven Pinker on the past and future of humanity. This is a live recording from our recent show – The Future of Humanity – held on 3 June 2025 at London's Royal Institution Theatre. The event was a conversation between psychologist Steven Pinker and biologist Richard Dawkins – both previous guests on The Panpsycast – exploring the evolution of human beings and the challenges we face in the future. Richard leads the discussion, questioning Steve about his extensive catalogue of books and his contributions to psychology, sociology, and evolutionary theory. They focus a lot on the past but, eventually, get on to the future. It's a brilliant exchange, covering a wide range of topics and packed with some of Pinker's most important insights. The first part of this podcast special is their free-flowing conversation; the second is a Q&A with the audience, hosted by Jack. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the show possible. Without further ado, here's the audio from our live show – we hope you enjoy the conversation. Links Steven Pinker, Website Richard Dawkins, Website
Steve Fleming is a professor in psychology at University College London. I invited Steve to talk about his work on meta-cognition, but we ended up spending the entire episode talking about lab culture, starting a lab, applying for funding, Steve's background in music, and what drew him to do cognitive neuroscience. There's even a tiny discussion about consciousness research at the end.BJKS Podcast is a podcast about neuroscience, psychology, and anything vaguely related, hosted by Benjamin James Kuper-Smith.Support the show: https://geni.us/bjks-patreonTimestamps0:00:00: Steve ran his lab in London from Croatia for a few years 0:23:57: Lessons as a PI: students and postdocs are adults and will figure it out0:28:45: Learning more skills as a postdoc vs. starting a lab0:41:13: Contacting departments to apply for grants0:52:19: Steve's background in music1:07:13: What drew Steve to cognitive science? A brief discussion of the future of consciousness research1:27:23: A book or paper more people should read1:33:02: Something Steve wishes he'd learnt sooner1:38:16: Advice for PhD students/postdocsPodcast linksWebsite: https://geni.us/bjks-podBlueSky: https://geni.us/pod-bskySteve's linksWebsite: https://geni.us/sfleming-webGoogle Scholar: https://geni.us/fleming-scholarBlueSky: https://geni.us/fleming-bskyBen's linksWebsite: https://geni.us/bjks-webGoogle Scholar: https://geni.us/bjks-scholarBlueSky: https://geni.us/bjks-bskyReferences and linksFIL at UCL: https://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/ERC Starting Grant: https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/starting-grantWellcome Trust Early-Career Award (without strict time restrictions): https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/wellcome-early-career-awardsExample paper by Josh Mcdermott on music: McDermott, Schultz, Undurraga & Godoy (2016). Indifference to dissonance in native Amazonians reveals cultural variation in music perception. Nature.Carter (2002). Consciousness.Chalmers (1995). Facing up to the problem of consciousness. Journal of consciousness studies.Dehaene, Al Roumi, Lakretz, Planton & Sablé-Meyer (2022). Symbols and mental programs: a hypothesis about human singularity. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.Isaacson (2021). The code breaker.Marr (1982). Vision: A computational investigation into the human representation and processing of visual information.Pinker (1997). How the mind works.Tononi (2004). An information integration theory of consciousness. BMC neuroscience.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comClaire Lehmann is a journalist and publisher. In 2015, after leaving academia, she founded the online magazine Quillette, where she is still editor-in-chief. She's also a newspaper columnist for The Australian.For two clips of our convo — on how journalists shouldn't be too friendly with one another, and how postmodernism takes the joy out of literature — pop over to our YouTube page.Other topics: a modest upbringing in Adelaide; her hippie parents; their small-c conservatism; her many working-class jobs; ADHD; aspiring to be a Shakespeare scholar; enjoying Foucault … at first; her “great disillusionment” with pomo theory; the impenetrable prose of Butler; the great Germaine Greer; praising Camille Paglia; evolutionary psychology; Wright's The Moral Animal and Pinker's The Blank Slate; Claire switching to forensic psychology after an abusive relationship; the TV show Adolescence; getting hired by the Sydney Morning Herald to write op-eds — her first on marriage equality; Bush's federal amendment; competition among women; tribalism and mass migration; soaring housing costs in Australia; rising populism in the West; creating Quillette; the IDW; being anti-anti-Trump; audience capture; Islamism and Charlie Hebdo; Covid; critical Trump theory; tariffs; reflexive anti-elitism; Joe Rogan; Almost Famous; Orwell; Spinoza; Oakeshott; Fukuyama and boredom; tech billionaires on Inauguration Day; the sycophants of Trump 2.0; and X as a state propaganda platform.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Next week: David Graham on Project 2025. After that: Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson on the Biden years, Sam Tanenhaus on Bill Buckley, Robert Merry on President McKinley, Walter Isaacson on Ben Franklin, and Paul Elie on his book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
Send us a textMike gushes about this episode. The music is on point and the mood is dark. The two discuss Pinker's ability, the pieces of the case and the superb approach to this monster-of-the-week.JOIN OUR SOCIALS!magusmediaproductions.netwww.facebook.com/groups/thisisnothappeningpod/ @TINHXFilesPodCONTACT US!tinhxfp@gmail.com
Walker, Niels www.deutschlandfunk.de, Tag für Tag
For millions of years, evidence suggests that humans lived in relatively equal societies, where food acquisition and child raising were shared activities among community members both men and women, together. It is apparent that our environments of evolutionary adaptation, selected for humans with evermore prosocial traits. Domination and competition were minimized in favor of collaboration and partnerships of mutual aid. The idea that any human was superior to another would have been an absurdity. Contemporary forager societies also exhibit collective regulation of resources and power, diminishing anyone who may try to take more than their fair share or exhibit dominance over others. Only within that last 10,000 years or so, does the evidence show that a small number of societies turned to systems of domination, who then conquered the world and created hierarchies of rank, class, and everything else. Rewilding is an endeavor to live more closely to how we evolved to live, and in order to do so we must dismantle the mismatched environment that these dominating societies have created. How and when did this switch to domination happen, why did it happen, and is it possible to work our way back to egalitarianism? These are central questions to the rewilding movement, and they also happen to be the life's work of anthropologist Douglas Fry, who has come on the podcast to discuss this with me. Douglas P. Fry is a researcher at AC4 at Columbia University and Prof Emeritus at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He earned his doctorate in anthropology from Indiana University in 1986. Dr. Fry has written extensively on aggression, conflict resolution, and war and peace. He is currently researching how clusters of neighboring societies, peace systems, manage to live without war. He has authored countless academic journal articles on the subjects as has written many books, such as Beyond War and The Human Potential for Peace, as well as serving as co-editor of Keeping the Peace: Conflict Resolution and Peaceful Societies Around the World and Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence. His most recent book, Nurturing Our Humanity, is co-authored with Riane Eisler. Eisler and Fry argue that the path to human survival and well-being in the 21st century hinges on our human capacities to cooperate and promote social equality, including gender equality.Notes:Douglas Fry UNC Greensboro Faculty PageDouglas Fry @ Research GateNurturing Our Humanity at Bookshop.orgSustaining Peace ProjectSocieties within peace systems avoid war and build positive intergroup relationshipsMentions:Brian Ferguson's “Pinker's List: Exaggerating Prehistoric Mortality”The Chalice and the Blade by Riane EislerHierarchy in the Forest by Christopher BoehmBringing Down a DictatorBlueprint for RevolutionGlobal Nonviolent Action DatabaseWhy Civil Resistance Works by Erica ChenowethSupport the show
Lets talk about Looney Tunes, Actually@OddcastN@whatanoddcastOddcast Network- Youtube
Harry sits down with Steven Pinker, who wears many intellectual hats, all well: linguist, psychologist, political philosopher, historian, and social critic, for starters. After some brief discussion of his childhood and background, they dive into Pinker's best-selling “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” (Bill Gates's favorite book at the time), “Enlightenment Now,” and Rationality” (Bill Gates's new favorite book). In those works, Pinker lay out an argument that by and large, in fits and starts, society is advancing incrementally in health, safety, knowledge, and other key benchmarks of Enlightenment values. The two also touch on Pinker's strong if idiosyncratic views about writing (he rejects much of modern pedantry about correct usage); his original Promethean work in linguistics; and his views about certain human cognitive biases. A wide-ranging and provocative discussion with one of the great public intellectuals of our time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this episode, host Rockne Roll talks with Jewish Federation of Greater Portland Volunteer Coordinator Merit Pinker. They discuss the centrality of volunteerism to both Jewish values and to Pinker's own personal experience, as well as some new opportunities to volunteer within the Jewish community here in Portland.Want to get involved? Complete the Federation's Volunteer Interest Form to get started!
Vegans have a marketing problem: they're perceived to be annoying, self-righteous, judgmental, and inflexible. Author Matthew Halteman's book Hungry Beautiful Animals is designed to fix that perception and make veganism more appealing and less threatening. Visit his website about Hungry Beautiful Animals. Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Here's the timeline of our discussion in case you want to skip to a section. 00:00 Intro 04:30 Marketing Problem? 07:00 Practical Tips 10:00 Kindergarten Values 12:00 Abstract food 16:30 Aspirations 20:40 Fish Watch the Video Book review In his excellent book "The Better Angels of Our Nature," Steven Pinker observed that humanity has become less barbarous with each passing century. Consider the improvements to: - Women's rights - Gay rights - Racism - Slavery - Death penalty - Wars - Prisons Pinker was asked, "What will people in the 22nd century think of us? What are we doing that will seem barbarous and immoral to future humans?" Pinker said (I'm paraphrasing), "The way almost everyone financially supports the barbarous and inhumane treatment of animals by buying and eating animals." True. Today's vegans are like the anti-slavery people 200 years ago: annoying, and everyone wished they would just go away. How can vegans be more inviting? It seems like an all-or-nothing club. This book says, "Relax. You're welcome to join the tribe." Hungry Beautiful Animals is a vibrant and engaging exploration of veganism. The book stands out for its joyful and inclusive approach, aiming to transform the often polarizing topic of veganism into an inviting conversation. Halteman's writing can be too verbose, but it is filled with humor and anecdotes that resonate regardless of one's dietary choices. ### Key Themes - Joy and Kindness: Halteman emphasizes that adopting a vegan lifestyle can be a source of joy rather than a burden. He encourages readers to view veganism as a journey filled with possibilities rather than a strict set of rules that can lead to feelings of shame or guilt. - Personal Stories: The book is rich with anecdotes that illustrate the interconnectedness of all living beings. For instance, Halteman reflects on moments his dog (Gus), who inspired him to write this book. - Community Focus: Halteman invites readers from all backgrounds to join in a collective movement towards kindness and compassion for animals, promoting the idea that everyone is welcome in this exploration of veganism, even if you're not hardcore, full-time. - Practical Guidance: Beyond philosophical discussions, the book provides practical suggestions for leading a more animal-friendly life, including tips on creating pollinator-friendly habitats in one's yard. The book offers profound insights and the ability to provoke thought without condemnation. It is an engaging read that challenges preconceived notions about veganism while fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Overall, Hungry Beautiful Animals is a book about veganism and an invitation to live more compassionately and joyfully with all beings. VERDICT: 9 out of 10 stars!
Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, linguist, and influential author, and professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. Pinker's research spans psycholinguistics, visual cognition, and the science of human behaviour. He is a proponent of rationality, evidence-based thinking, and the application of evolutionary psychology to understand human nature. Pinker is frequently cited as one of the most influential thinkers of his time.Peter & Kasia engage with Steven for a profound discussion revolving around the themes of global peace and progress in modern times. The conversation references Pinker's books, 'The Better Angels of Our Nature' (2011) and 'Enlightenment Now' (2018), which argue that humanity currently lives in the most peaceful era in history. Further topics include the role of nuclear weapons in maintaining global peace, and the moral and ethical implications of technological advancements like AI.Learn more about Steven Pinker and read his books!Keep up to date with Peter!Website: www.petersinger.infoSubstack: https://boldreasoningwithpetersinger.substack.com/YouTube: www.youtube.com/@peter_singerKeep up to date with Kasia!https://www.facebook.com/katarzyna.delazariradek Executive Producer: Rachel Barrett Audio Producer: Stuart BucklandThanks to our volunteer researchers Hendrik Dahlmeier and Mihika ChechiIf you are enjoying this podcast, consider supporting us over at PATREON Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
El resfriado no afectó a su habitual energía. El fiscal general del Estado no solamente aplica la ley: es la ley. De ahí la extrema gravedad de que permanezca en el cargo mientras la Guardia Civil haya tenido que registrar su despacho. Cómo se están desarrollando los hechos es tan insólito como los hechos en sí. Y clamó: ¿No podrían habernos ahorrado este espectáculo, puramente tropical? No dejó de lamentar la muerte y el desastre de la gota fría en Valencia, pero lamentó que siempre, en estos casos, aparezca en España el siniestro animalito de la culpa (¡y el de la literatura!). Siempre hay fallos. Son ellos, precisamente, los que ayudan a que no los haya la próxima vez. Por otra parte, pocas veces se habla de lo que sí funcionó que evitó un mayor número de víctimas. Pero en fin, ya se sabe lo que tanto dicen Pinker y él. De Pinker, precisamente, glosó lo que el canadiense escribió para el Times: un recuento pormenorizado que desmiente taxativamente el principal lema de Trump en campaña: «América se está muriendo». Trump o Harris –¡la alcaidesa dice que no puede llamársele Kamala!–: la próxima semana sabremos quién será presidente de los Estados Unidos. Por el momento, es impecable el artículo del dueño de Amazon y del Post para justificar que el periódico no respalde en estas elecciones, y como era su costumbre desde los años setenta, a ningún candidato. Ahora bien, qué importancia tiene ocultar la preferencia política en el editorial, cuando lo verdaderamente importante es el sesgo que delata la información política del Post. Agradeció a David Trueba su columna contra la cocaína, que solo produce frustración, ruina y muerte, y recomendó el documental John Le Carré: Volar en círculos, de Errol Morris. Y fue así que Espada yiró. Bibliografía: «José Gómez, Brand Manager de Joselito: “Cuidamos el bienestar de nuestros cerdos con bellotas de la dehesa y mejoramos la calidad de nuestros procesos gracias al ‘pig data'”», Forbes «Una investigación en 30 países acerca de las creencias sobre la herencia genética», Public Understanding of Science Banda sonora: Y sin embargo te quiero See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us a Text Message.Greg Matusky is a passionate student of human communications and how it powers our culture, economy, and future. As CEO of Gregory FCA, one of the 40 largest PR firms in America, he has helped develop the communication skills of hundreds of professionals, providing them with insights from more than 40 years of experience in storytelling, from his beginnings as a magazine article writer to his present role as head of Gregory FCA.A student of Gladwell, Pinker, and Chomsky, he is not afraid to delve into the rabbit holes of linguistics and cognition to uncover the process of human communications and share his discoveries. His most recent interest lies in artificial intelligence and how AI transforms corporate communications and public relations. In that respect, he oversaw the development of one of the first generative AI tools for public relations professionals, Gladwrite, which his team created before OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in November 2022. In early 2023, the team at Gregory FCA launched WriteRelease, a free AI press release creation tool customized to produce more than 70 news release types. Matusky's fascination with AI is driven by a deep desire to allow others to do it digitally in seconds, which took him years to master.Last year, Matusky launched his podcast series, "The Disruption is Now," where he interviews leaders across various industries to explore how AI impacts their fields.This Is PropagandaChallenging marketers' delusions about the cultural impact of our work. A WEBBY winner!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify The Brandon T. Adams Audio ExperienceWelcome to The Brandon T. Adams Audio Experience, hosted by entrepreneur, investor,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.This episode is sponsored by John Guilfoil Public Relations. From crisis communications to website development; visit our website JGPR.net or call 617.993.0003
Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author and Harvard College Professor. One of the world's leading authorities on language and the mind, he is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. Pinker has written many books for general audiences including The Blank Slate (2002), Enlightenment Now (2018) and his most recent, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters - is available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WK3JNLT/ Check out more of Steven's work: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000AQ3GGO/ SPONSOR: Qualia Senolytic. Go to Qualialife.com/TRIG for up to 50% off and use code TRIG at checkout for an additional 15% off. Join our Premium Membership for early access, extended and ad-free content: https://triggernometry.supercast.com OR Support TRIGGERnometry Here: Bitcoin: bc1qm6vvhduc6s3rvy8u76sllmrfpynfv94qw8p8d5 Music by: Music by: Xentric | info@xentricapc.com | https://www.xentricapc.com/ YouTube: @xentricapc Buy Merch Here: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/shop/ Advertise on TRIGGERnometry: marketing@triggerpod.co.uk Join the Mailing List: https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/#mailinglist Find TRIGGERnometry on Social Media: https://twitter.com/triggerpod https://www.facebook.com/triggerpod/ https://www.instagram.com/triggerpod/ About TRIGGERnometry: Stand-up comedians Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) and Francis Foster (@francisjfoster) make sense of politics, economics, free speech, AI, drug policy and WW3 with the help of presidential advisors, renowned economists, award-winning journalists, controversial writers, leading scientists and notorious comedians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Linguist, noted ‘Pinkerologist' and friend of the show Dr. Caitlin Green (@Caitlinmoriah) joins me to analyze and discuss the Extremely Rational thoughts of one Steven Pinker. In pt 2 we discuss Pinker's constant downplaying of r*pe statistics and the inadequate, cherry-picked sources he uses to support his flawed arguments. —— If you have experienced sexual assault or violence here are some helpful resources: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safe-campuses-bc/what-is-consent https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/health/services/promotion/sexual-health-sex-101-sexual-assault-dating-violence-learn-more-alcohol-other-drugs-learn-more Brown University: Yes, it is possible to establish consent if you and/or your partner(s) have been drinking or using other drugs. Consent cannot be obtained through the use of coercion or force or by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another individual. If anyone is incapacitated for any reason, they cannot give consent. If someone has been using alcohol or other drugs and you are thinking about having any kind of sexual interaction with them, it is your responsibility to check in, ask, and make sure they consent to what is going on. Being intoxicated yourself does not absolve you of the responsibility of obtaining consent. If you are unsure whether you can establish consent, don't have sex. https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/ https://www.wannatalkaboutit.com/ca/sexual-violence/ https://www.rainn.org/international-sexual-assault-resources —— Links: Great thread by Kate Manne which came up in the episode https://x.com/kate_manne/status/1149902823200632833?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Detailed thread on Pinker's discussion on R*pe in Better Angels of our Nature https://x.com/magi_jay/status/972958282125062144?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw! If you enjoy the show pls consider supporting via patreon.com/nicemangos
This is a public SAMPLE of an upcoming episode. Please subscribe via patreon.com to hear the full episode. Part 2 is available via Patreon.com/nicemangos ——- Linguist, noted ‘Pinkerologist' and friend of the show Dr. Caitlin Green (@Caitlinmoriah) joins me to analyze and discuss the Extremely Rational thoughts of one Steven Pinker. In pt 2 we discuss Pinker's constant downplaying of r*pe statistics and the inadequate, cherry-picked sources he uses to support his flawed arguments. —— If you have experienced sexual assault or violence here are some helpful resources: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safe-campuses-bc/what-is-consent https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/health/services/promotion/sexual-health-sex-101-sexual-assault-dating-violence-learn-more-alcohol-other-drugs-learn-more Brown University: Yes, it is possible to establish consent if you and/or your partner(s) have been drinking or using other drugs. Consent cannot be obtained through the use of coercion or force or by taking advantage of the incapacitation of another individual. If anyone is incapacitated for any reason, they cannot give consent. If someone has been using alcohol or other drugs and you are thinking about having any kind of sexual interaction with them, it is your responsibility to check in, ask, and make sure they consent to what is going on. Being intoxicated yourself does not absolve you of the responsibility of obtaining consent. If you are unsure whether you can establish consent, don't have sex. https://endingviolencecanada.org/sexual-assault-centres-crisis-lines-and-support-services/ https://www.wannatalkaboutit.com/ca/sexual-violence/ https://www.rainn.org/international-sexual-assault-resources —— Links: Great thread by Kate Manne which came up in the episode https://x.com/kate_manne/status/1149902823200632833?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Detailed thread on Pinker's discussion on R*pe in Better Angels of our Nature https://x.com/magi_jay/status/972958282125062144?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw!
Note for this encore presentation: While much of our discussion centered on Professor Pinker's views on how the world continues to improve while we have trouble believing it, he also goes into details about his concerns about the state of public discourse on college campuses. He and I conducted this interview in June of 2023, several months before the conflict between Hamas and Israel began, and subsequent demonstrations caused huge disruptions on college campuses around the country, including Pinker's own Harvard University. He's since been very active in shaping his school's policy on open speech and debate and whether or not universities should take public positions on political issues that don't directly relate to those schools. It's interesting now to listen to what he had to say about his campus's climate, before it became an issue of press coverage and public debate. In this wide-ranging conversation, renowned author and professor Steven Pinker describes that while he resists being called an “optimist,” as the label doesn't necessarily suit his temperament, his deep dives into historical data have convinced him that the world is indeed getting better and has been on a steady trajectory since the days of the Enlightenment, the subject of one of his many acclaimed books. Dr. Pinker also describes why he believes so many intellectuals resist acknowledging that the world is making progress; and adds, ironically, that self-described “progressives” often have the toughest time with this. He also shares his concerns about the policing of speech on college campuses – including Harvard – and the deleterious effects this has on students' wellbeing. Chapters: 03:30 The World Getting Better Steven Pinker discusses the concept of human progress and how our cognitive abilities allow us to overcome negative impulses. He explains the importance of acknowledging progress despite inherent biases towards negativity. 11:00 Optimism vs. Pessimism Explore Steven Pinker's view on optimism and pessimism, highlighting how his perspective is rooted in data and empirical evidence rather than personal temperament. Understand the societal perception of optimism and pessimism in intellectual circles. 12:07 Glorifying the Past Delve into the tendency to glorify the past and criticize the present. Learn about the societal inclination to equate pessimism with moral seriousness and the impact of historical perspectives on current discourse. 23:01 Criticism and Academic Freedom Steven Pinker addresses concerns about academic freedom and the culture of censorship and intolerance in higher education. Understand the importance of open discourse and challenging dominant orthodoxies for societal progress. 27:33 Campus Climate and Mental Health Pinker describes how campus orientations and cultural shifts impact young people's mental health, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation. 31:53 Positive Historical Trends Discussing surprising positive historical trends related to violence, environmental improvements, and changing perceptions of war and heroism. 36:18 War and Peaceful Service Exploring the shift from glorifying war to promoting peaceful service as a means to cultivate heroic and altruistic qualities in individuals. 38:50 Spreading Optimism and Data-Driven Progress Pinker offers advice on spreading awareness of positive trends, emphasizing data-driven optimism, acknowledging challenges, and the role of human agency in creating a better world. 40:31 Reflections on War and Optimism Dr. Pinker reflects on the historical glorification of war and the potential for mandatory peaceful service, along with the importance of data-driven optimism in shaping perspectives.
Linguist, noted ‘Pinkerologist' and friend of the show Dr. Caitlin Green joins me to analyze and discuss the Extremely Rational thoughts of one Steven Pinker. In part 1 we discuss hats, gloves, rationality, hypocrisy, Pinker's special brand of ‘positivity P 0rn' and more! Links: Steven Pinker's aid in Jeffrey Epstein's legal defense renews criticism of an increasingly divisive public intellectual. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/17/steven-pinkers-aid-jeffrey-epsteins-legal-defense-renews-criticism-increasingly A thread on the ironically named organization FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism) - a who's who of some of the most intolerant and racist rightwing hacks around https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1367585945160146947?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw The Harvard Crimson: Pinker is often willing to defend his colleagues — even when it attracts controversy. In 2012, the University of Miami philosopher Colin McGinn was accused of sexual harassment by a graduate student. When the matter became public, Pinker wrote in an open letter that McGinn was a “brilliant and distinguished scholar” and that if the University of Miami pursued disciplinary action against McGinn for “exchanging sexual banter with a graduate student,” it would “put a chill on communication between faculty and graduate students and on the openness and informality on which scholarship depends.” In our conversation, Pinker often brings up “The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature,” which, even two decades after its release, illustrates core aspects of his thinking today. The book argues that our individual behaviors — our intelligence, our sociability, our tendencies toward violence — are rooted in our genes, not just the environment in which we are raised. “.. in 2006 Pinker published a favorable review of a scientific paper which argued that Ashkenazi Jews may have evolved to have higher IQs than other racial and ethnic groups.” One of the first academics to be canceled, Pinker says, was E. O. Wilson. Wilson was a biologist and professor of evolutionary biology at Harvard. Today, he is known for two things: his award-winning work on biodiversity and his public branding as a racist. In 1975, Wilson published a book called “Sociobiology: The New Synthesis,” which argues that behaviors result from genes — “very much in the strain of work that I wrote about on human nature,” Pinker says — and stepped into a debate about scientific racism. In his book, Wilson writes that there should be a “discipline of anthropological genetics” to explore whether cultural differences are biological. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/10/27/steven-pinker-scrut/ Pinker currently serves on the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation's board of advisers https://eowilsonfoundation.org/about-us/our-team/ Screenshot, Pinker upset at anti-scientism and historians ‘historicizing' https://x.com/mccormick_ted/status/1182645627169263616?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker smears anti-genocide students as ‘Pro-Hamas' https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1810472709580570796?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker's video about how ‘Political Correctness is redpilling America' https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1138497096569540609?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker Publishes response about associations with Epstein on Jerry Coyne's blog which has also done the Just Asking Questions routine about whether convicted child r*pist Jerry Sandusky was truly guilty or not. https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1150216005114912769?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw —— Pls subscribe via patreon.com/nicemangos to support the show Pt 2 available early to patrons
*This is a public sample of an upcoming episode. Please subscribe via patreon.com to hear the full episode. Part 2 is available via the Premium tiers on Patreon.* —— Linguist, noted ‘Pinkerologist' and friend of the show Dr. Caitlin Green joins me to analyze and discuss the Extremely Rational thoughts of one Steven Pinker. In part 1 we discuss hats, gloves, rationality, hypocrisy, Pinker's special brand of ‘positivity P 0rn' and more! —— Links: Steven Pinker's aid in Jeffrey Epstein's legal defense renews criticism of an increasingly divisive public intellectual. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/17/steven-pinkers-aid-jeffrey-epsteins-legal-defense-renews-criticism-increasingly A thread on the ironically named organization FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism) - a who's who of some of the most intolerant and racist rightwing hacks around https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1367585945160146947?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw The Harvard Crimson: Pinker is often willing to defend his colleagues — even when it attracts controversy. In 2012, the University of Miami philosopher Colin McGinn was accused of sexual harassment by a graduate student. When the matter became public, Pinker wrote in an open letter that McGinn was a “brilliant and distinguished scholar” and that if the University of Miami pursued disciplinary action against McGinn for “exchanging sexual banter with a graduate student,” it would “put a chill on communication between faculty and graduate students and on the openness and informality on which scholarship depends.” In our conversation, Pinker often brings up “The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature,” which, even two decades after its release, illustrates core aspects of his thinking today. The book argues that our individual behaviors — our intelligence, our sociability, our tendencies toward violence — are rooted in our genes, not just the environment in which we are raised. “.. in 2006 Pinker published a favorable review of a scientific paper which argued that Ashkenazi Jews may have evolved to have higher IQs than other racial and ethnic groups.” One of the first academics to be canceled, Pinker says, was E. O. Wilson. Wilson was a biologist and professor of evolutionary biology at Harvard. Today, he is known for two things: his award-winning work on biodiversity and his public branding as a racist. In 1975, Wilson published a book called “Sociobiology: The New Synthesis,” which argues that behaviors result from genes — “very much in the strain of work that I wrote about on human nature,” Pinker says — and stepped into a debate about scientific racism. In his book, Wilson writes that there should be a “discipline of anthropological genetics” to explore whether cultural differences are biological. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/10/27/steven-pinker-scrut/ Pinker currently serves on the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation's board of advisers https://eowilsonfoundation.org/about-us/our-team/ Screenshot, Pinker upset at anti-scientism and historians ‘historicizing' https://x.com/mccormick_ted/status/1182645627169263616?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker smears anti-genocide students as ‘Pro-Hamas' https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1810472709580570796?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker's video about how ‘Political Correctness is redpilling America' https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1138497096569540609?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw Pinker Publishes response about associations with Epstein on Jerry Coyne's blog which has also done the Just Asking Questions routine about whether convicted child r*pist Jerry Sandusky was truly guilty or not. https://x.com/nicemangos/status/1150216005114912769?s=61&t=w7q_ejvwZ_gCFj9WV50Lqw
There's a kind of conventional wisdom among broadcasters that an interview has to be adversarial. The interviewer must probe in a critical kind of way. You must have arguments. This was brought home to me some years ago when I had a conversation on stage in London, a very large audience with Steven Pinker, and it went very well. The audience liked it, and the BBC, who weren't there, got wind of it and decided they'd like to have a reprise of it later in the evening, in the News Night programme. So they asked us whether we would do it, and we agreed. Then the BBC producer rang me up and she said to me, “What's the nature of your disagreement with Dr. Pinker?” I said, “Well, I don't think there is a disagreement. I think we agree about most things.” She said, “No disagreement?” The interview was promptly cancelled.That's just an illustration, and it came to mind again when I did an interview with Steve Pinker in Boston, at Harvard. It was part of the programme I did for Channel Four in 1998 called The Genius of Charles Darwin. We had a very long conversation lasting about an hour, I suppose, and we agreed about just about everything. But I think it is illuminating. I think it's one of the best interviews I've ever done. It's two people who pretty much agree about everything we discussed, and it's as though one person was having a conversation with himself. But it's somehow better than that. I think that when you have two people who agree with each other in that kind of way, each one raises the game of the other. Let's see if you agree, listen to this conversation between me and Steve Pinker.
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Abandoning functionalism: Some intuition pumps, published by Alfredo Parra on July 12, 2024 on The Effective Altruism Forum. There seems to be a widely-held view in popular culture that no physicist really understands quantum mechanics. The meme probably gained popularity after Richard Feynman famously stated in a lecture (transcribed in the book "The Character of Physical Law") "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics", though many prominent physicists have expressed a similar sentiment. Anyone aware of the overwhelming success of quantum mechanics will recognize that the seeming lack of understanding of the theory is primarily about how to interpret its ontology, and not about how to do the calculations or run the experiments, which clearly many physicists understand extremely well. But even the ontological confusion is debatable. With the proliferation of interpretations of quantum mechanics - each varying in terms of, among others, which classical intuitions should be abandoned - at least some physicists seem to think that there isn't anything weird or mysterious about the quantum world. So I suspect there are plenty of physicists who would politely disagree that it's not possible to really understand quantum mechanics. Sure, it might take them a few decades of dedicated work in theoretical physics and a certain amount of philosophical sophistication, but there surely are physicists out there who (justifiably) feel like they grok quantum mechanics both technically and philosophically, and who feel deeply satisfied with the frameworks they've adopted. Carlo Rovelli (proponent of the relational interpretation) and Sean Carroll (proponent of the many-worlds interpretation) might be two such people. This article is not about the controversial relationship between quantum mechanics and consciousness. Instead, I think there are some lessons to learn in terms of what it means and feels like to understand a difficult topic and to find satisfying explanations. Maybe you will relate to my own journey. See, for a long time, I thought of consciousness as a fundamentally mysterious aspect of reality that we'd never really understand. How could we? Is there anything meaningful we can say about why consciousness exists, where it comes from, or what it's made of? Well, it took me an embarrassingly long time to just read some books on philosophy of mind, but when I finally did some 10 years ago, I was captivated: What if we think in terms of the functions the brain carries out, like any other computing system? What if the hard problem is just ill-defined? Perhaps philosophical zombies can teach us meaningful things about the nature of consciousness? Wow. Maybe we can make progress on these questions after all! Functionalism in particular - the position that any information system is conscious if it computes the appropriate outputs given some inputs - seemed a particularly promising lens. The floodgates of my curiosity were opened. I devoured as much content as I could on the topic - Dennett, Dehaene, Tononi, Russell, Pinker; I binge-read Brian Tomasik's essays and scoured the EA Forum for any posts discussing consciousness. Maybe we can preserve our minds by uploading their causal structure? Wow, yes! Could sufficiently complex digital computers become conscious? Gosh, scary, but why not? Could video game characters matter morally? I shall follow the evidence wherever it leads me. The train to crazy town had departed, and I wanted to have a front-row seat. Alas, the excitement soon started to dwindle. Somehow, the more I learned about consciousness, the more confused and dissatisfied I felt. Many times in the past I'd learned about a difficult topic (for instance, in physics, computer science, or mathematics) and, sure, the number of questions would mul...
Steven Pinker is a world-renowned cognitive psychologist, and is widely regarded as one of the most important public intellectuals of our time. His work delves into the complexities of cognition, language, and social behavior, and his research offers a window into the fundamental workings of the human mind. Pinker, who is the author of nine books including Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress and Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, approaches his work with a kind of data-driven optimism about the world that has set him apart from the chorus of doomer voices we hear so much from in our public discourse. Today, we talk to Pinker about why smart people believe stupid things, the psychology of conspiracy theories, free speech and academic freedom, why democracy and enlightenment values are contrary to human nature, the moral panic around AI, and much more. The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through Bookshop.org links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“We were each put on earth to torment the other,” says cognitive scientist Steven Pinker of Elizabeth Bates, a psychologist who challenged the prevailing theory about how humans acquire language. Bates believed that language emerges from interactions between our brains and our environments, and that we do not have an innate language capacity. To many, that sounds like an innocuous statement. But in making these claims, Bates challenged formidable linguists like Pinker and Noam Chomsky, placing herself at the center of a heated debate that remains unresolved half a century later.
Our very first episode with a live studio audience! Join us as we discuss what linguist George Lakoff views as the worldviews of liberals and conservatives. In this episode, we examine what Lakoff thinks confuses liberals about conservative views (while also just attempting to refute the conservative opinion), the different words that people on the right and left use, and what he sees as the goal for studying these worldviews. Despite his accurate assessment of what each worldview is, we find a lot to criticize in this chapter, and go on many, many tangents!Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/UlmtdOpinions
US drone combat, extract ideas from any book, Pinker writing analysis, Flipper reversal, GPT-5 updates, and more… Subscribe to the newsletter at: https://danielmiessler.com/subscribe Join the UL community at:https://danielmiessler.com/upgrade Follow on X:https://twitter.com/danielmiessler Follow on LinkedN:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmiessler See you in the next one!Become a Member: https://danielmiessler.com/upgradeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1 What's How the Mind Works Book by Steven Pinker"How the Mind Works" is a book written by Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist and linguist. The book explores the question of how the human mind evolved and analyzes various aspects of human cognition and behavior. Pinker delves into topics such as vision, language, emotions, relationships, and consciousness, using a combination of scientific research and evolutionary psychology.Pinker argues that the mind is not a blank slate, as commonly thought, but rather a complex system that has evolved through natural selection. He draws on a wide range of disciplines, including neuroscience, genetics, psychology, and anthropology, to provide insights into the workings of the mind.The book challenges traditional theories of cognitive processes and explores theories such as computational theory of mind and evolutionary psychology. Pinker uses a conversational and accessible writing style to engage the reader and present complex concepts in an understandable way."How the Mind Works" aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the human mind and how it shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behavior. It combines scientific evidence with evolutionary principles to offer a unique perspective on the nature of human cognition.Chapter 2 Is How the Mind Works Book A Good BookThe book "How the Mind Works" by Steven Pinker is highly regarded among readers and scholars in the field of cognitive science. Pinker provides a comprehensive exploration of various aspects of human cognition, including perception, language, emotions, and memory. He offers a combination of scientific research, evolutionary theory, and examples to explain how the mind functions. Many readers appreciate Pinker's ability to present complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, making it suitable for both academic and general audiences. The book has been praised for its engaging writing style, extensive research, and thought-provoking insights. However, it is worth noting that Pinker's theories and perspectives have sparked occasional debates and critiques among experts in the field. Some argue that his approach emphasizes a modular view of the mind and may overlook certain nuances or alternative theories. Overall, "How the Mind Works" is considered a highly recommended book for those interested in understanding the inner workings of the human mind.Chapter 3 How the Mind Works Book by Steven Pinker Summary"How the Mind Works" is a book written by cognitive scientist and linguist Steven Pinker, published in 1997. In this comprehensive work, Pinker explores the fundamental mechanisms underlying human cognition and offers an evolutionary perspective on the functioning of the mind.Pinker begins by addressing the question of why the mind exists at all and argues that it is an adaptation shaped by the process of natural selection. He delves into various aspects of cognition, including vision, language, memory, emotions, and social relationships, providing scientific explanations for their emergence and function.The book explores the concept of modularity, suggesting that the mind is composed of specialized modules designed to carry out specific tasks efficiently. Pinker argues that our cognitive abilities are a result of these specialized modules working in tandem.Drawing on evolutionary biology and psychology, Pinker reveals how our mental processes have evolved over time to solve the challenges faced by our ancestors. He discusses topics such as perception and its relationship to reality, the role of genes in shaping behavior, and the influence of culture on the mind.Pinker also addresses controversial topics like altruism, violence, and...
Chapter 1 What's The Blank Slate Book by Steven Pinker"The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" is a book written by Steven Pinker, a cognitive psychologist and linguist. Published in 2002, the book delves into the concept of the "blank slate" – the belief that human beings are born without innate traits or predispositions, and that their behavior and personality are solely shaped by their environment.Pinker argues against the blank slate theory, presenting evidence from various fields such as genetics, neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology to support the claim that human nature is not a blank slate. He explores controversial topics such as gender differences, aggression, and intelligence, challenging the common assumption that these characteristics are exclusively shaped by societal influences."The Blank Slate" sparked debates within the fields of psychology, biology, and social sciences, as well as among the general public. It played a significant role in the nature vs. nurture discussion, questioning the prevailing notion that society alone molds human behavior.Chapter 2 Is The Blank Slate Book A Good Book"The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker is a highly regarded book that challenges the concept of the "blank slate" view of human nature. Pinker argues against the idea that the mind is a blank slate at birth, shaped exclusively by society, culture, and experience. Instead, he suggests that there is an innate human nature with certain predispositions and traits.The book has received praise for its thought-provoking ideas, extensive research, and its ability to provide a comprehensive argument against the blank slate perspective. However, it's worth noting that Pinker's views have also evoked some criticism and are subject to ongoing debate within the scientific and philosophical communities.To determine if it is a good book for you, it may be helpful to consider your existing knowledge and interests in the topic of human nature, psychology, and the nature vs. nurture debate. Additionally, you could explore reviews, summaries, or excerpts of the book to see if its content aligns with your interests and goals.Chapter 3 The Blank Slate Book by Steven Pinker Summary"The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" is a book by cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker, published in 2002. In this book, Pinker challenges the notion of the "blank slate," which refers to the belief that human minds are entirely shaped by the environment and that there is no inherent human nature.Pinker argues that this idea is flawed and that human beings are not born as "empty vessels" but have a range of innate traits and tendencies. He delves into various fields of study, including biology, psychology, and neuroscience, to provide evidence for the existence of human nature and its impact on human behavior.The book is divided into five parts. In the first part, Pinker provides a historical overview of the blank slate idea and its influence on various intellectual movements, such as behaviorism and social constructionism. He argues that this belief has had negative consequences, such as denying the existence of innate differences between individuals and hindering progress in understanding human behavior.The second part of the book focuses on debunking three key dogmas associated with the blank slate: the mind as a blank slate, the mind as an unformed clay that can be molded by society, and the mind as a tabula rasa void of emotions and desires. Pinker provides evidence from studies in genetics, brain development, and evolutionary psychology to support his arguments.In the third part, Pinker explores the implications of rejecting the blank slate for...
@TheInstituteOfArtAndIdeas Steven Pinker vs John Mearsheimer debate the enlightenment | Part 1 of FULL DEBATE https://youtu.be/SA-tCQJEzqk?si=ETH5nkeSxiOyEU23 Steven Pinker vs John Mearsheimer debate the enlightenment | Part 2 of FULL DEBATE https://youtu.be/gNVm-oXFK9k?si=mUcA-4LsrA0QdvtP @maidenmothermatriarch Louise Perry Subscriber Q&A https://youtu.be/K2WilN84Fbs?si=UFs4omh4Z4nHMyLR @PremierUnbelievable Tom Holland: Christianity, persecution and the meaning of the cross https://youtu.be/p6w7qw9kJ9k?si=1G3by9rtwRiILTEx @CareyNieuwhof Tim Keller on the Rise + Fall of the American Evangelical Church, Pastoral Failures, and Forgiveness https://youtu.be/M8BGvstBJUw?si=lzi5Gwc2I5yLBQ_k Paul Vander Klay clips channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0jIcadtoxELSwehCh5QTg Bridges of Meaning Discord https://discord.gg/Jb3M8xnQ https://www.meetup.com/sacramento-estuary/ My Substack https://paulvanderklay.substack.com/ Estuary Hub Link https://www.estuaryhub.com/ If you want to schedule a one-on-one conversation check here. https://paulvanderklay.me/2019/08/06/converzations-with-pvk/ There is a video version of this podcast on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/paulvanderklay To listen to this on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/paul-vanderklays-podcast/id1394314333 If you need the RSS feed for your podcast player https://paulvanderklay.podbean.com/feed/ All Amazon links here are part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. Amazon pays me a small commission at no additional cost to you if you buy through one of the product links here. This is is one (free to you) way to support my videos. https://paypal.me/paulvanderklay Blockchain backup on Lbry https://odysee.com/@paulvanderklay https://www.patreon.com/paulvanderklay Paul's Church Content at Living Stones Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh7bdktIALZ9Nq41oVCvW-A To support Paul's work by supporting his church give here. https://tithe.ly/give?c=2160640
Chapter 1 What's the The Better Angels of Our Nature"The Better Angels of Our Nature" is a book written by Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist and psychologist. The book explores the decline of violence throughout human history and presents a compelling argument for the idea that we are living in the most peaceful era of our species. Pinker supports his claims by analyzing various historical trends, statistical data, psychological research, and case studies to demonstrate that violence has steadily decreased over time. The book challenges common misconceptions about the prevalence of violence today and offers insights into the factors contributing to this decline. Pinker attributes this decline to the rise of institutions, the influence of Enlightenment values, and various social, cultural, and technological changes. Overall, "The Better Angels of Our Nature" provides a comprehensive examination of the decline in violence, highlighting the potential for a more peaceful future.Chapter 2 Is the The Better Angels of Our Nature recommended for reading?That is subjective and dependent on personal tastes and interests. However, "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker has received widespread acclaim and positive reviews since its publication in 2011. The book presents a detailed analysis of violence throughout human history and argues that, contrary to popular belief, violence has actually decreased over time. It is often praised for its thorough research, compelling arguments, and thought-provoking ideas. It has been hailed as an important contribution to understanding human behavior and society. Ultimately, whether it is a good book or not depends on your personal interests and whether you find the subject matter engaging.Chapter 3 the The Better Angels of Our Nature SummaryThe Better Angels of Our Nature is a book written by psychologist Steven Pinker, published in 2011. The book explores the decline of violence and human conflict throughout history, providing a counterintuitive perspective that suggests humanity is becoming less violent over time.Pinker presents an abundance of statistical evidence to support his argument, drawing from a wide range of historical periods, cultures, and data sources. He analyzes various forms of violence, including wars, genocide, homicide rates, and state-sanctioned violence, and makes comparisons across different time periods and regions of the world.The main thesis of the book is that violence and human conflict have decreased dramatically throughout history, leading to a more peaceful world today. Pinker attributes this decline to a number of factors, including the rise of nation-states and their monopoly on violence, the spread of democracy, and the spread of education and knowledge.The book also explores several psychological and social factors that contribute to the reduction in violence. Pinker argues that violence is not an innate part of human nature, but rather a maladaptive behavior that can be mitigated through various social, cultural, and political mechanisms.Throughout the book, Pinker challenges popular misconceptions about violence and demonstrates how the world has become less violent over time. He argues that the perception of increased violence is largely a result of sensationalism in the media, which amplifies and focuses on violent events rather than considering the broader historical context.Pinker concludes his book by calling for a greater understanding of the factors that have contributed to the decline in violence, in order to continue building a more peaceful future. He suggests that recognizing...
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comCat is a researcher who focuses on the evolution of narrative and cognition. Her essays and poems have appeared in Scientific American, Mind, Science Magazine, and other publications. Her fascinating new book is Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, and I highly recommend it.For two clips of our convo — on the combat that occurs within a pregnant woman between mother and child, and the magic of nipples while breastfeeding — pop over to our YouTube page. Other topics: Cat growing up near the “Confederate Mount Rushmore”; her mom the pianist and her dad the research psychologist; Cat helping him in the laboratory he ran; why medical research has ignored female subjects; plastination and Body Worlds; studying the first lactating mammal, Morganucodon; the origins of sex bifurcation; how “binary” is now controversial; how your gut contains countless organisms; how the placenta protects a fetus from being attacked by the mom; the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth; preeclampsia; how human reproduction is much longer than other mammals'; postpartum depression; why the left breast is favored in breastfeeding; the maternal voice; Pinker's The Language Instinct; humans as hyper-social animals; how women hunted and obtained just as much protein as men — in different ways; our omnivore flexibility; sexed voices; how even livers have a sex; the only reliable way to determine the sex of brains; how male cells can end up in a female brain; why women are more likely to wake during surgery; sexual pleasure; bird copulation; duck vaginas; the chimp's “polka dot” penis; why the slower sex of humans was key to our evolution; my challenging of Cat's claim that 20 percent of people are homosexual; and foreskin and boobs and clits, oh my.On that “20 percent of humans are homosexual” question, which I challenged directly on the podcast, it turns out Bohannon made a mistake which she says she will correct in future editions. As often happens, she conflated the “LGBTQ+” category with homosexuality, and relied on a quirky outlier study rather than the more reliable and standard measurements from places like the Williams Institute or Gallup. Williams says 1.7 percent of Americans are homosexual, i.e. gay or lesbian. Gallup says it's 2.4 percent. The trouble, of course, with the LGBTQIA+ category is that almost 60 percent are bisexual, and the “Queer” category can include heterosexuals as well. As a way of polling actual, same-sex attracted gays and lesbians, it's useless. And designed to be useless.Note too Gallup's percentage of “LGBTQIA+” people who define themselves as “queer”. It's 1.8 percent of us. And yet that word, which is offensive and triggering to many, and adopted by the tiniest fraction of actual homosexuals, is now regarded by the mainstream media as the right way to describe all of us. In the podcast, you can see that Cat simply assumes that “queer” is now used universally — because the activists and academics who form her environment have co-opted it. She readily sees how that could be the case, when we discussed it. I wish the MSM would do the same: stop defining all gays the way only 1.8 percent of the “LGBTQ+” “community” do. Of course they won't. They're far more interested in being woke than telling the truth.Browse the Dishcast archive for another convo you might enjoy (the first 102 episodes are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: McKay Coppins on Romney and the GOP, Jennifer Burns on her new biography of Milton Friedman, Joe Klein with a year-end review, and Alexandra Hudson on civility. Please send any guest recs, dissent and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
John Gray is one of the UK's most important and influential political thinkers. Sceptical of ideas about progress and the perfectibility of human nature, he is an arch critic of liberalism, believing that history moves in cycles rather than inexorably towards a better future. For this episode of Intelligence Squared he is joined by David Runciman, a political scientist known for his clear analysis of modern political complexities. Together they explore the themes of Gray's new book The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism, which looks at the world of the 2020s through the prism of the great 17th-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes, famous for saying that without government, life would be ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. Traversing 20th-century Russia, India and China, and referencing thinkers from Nietzsche and Hegel to Pinker and Fukuyama, Gray shares his realist vision for what the future may hold and explains how, in a world of absurdity, meaning can be found not in grandiose ideas but in more modest ethics. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you'd like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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