The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker

I spoke on Human Rationality and Academic Freedom at the Dissident Dialogues event in New York this year. Drawing from my book, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, I explore why rational thinking is essential yet slowly becoming elusive in our society.

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

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

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In his latest and last episode of the series, Steven Pinker discusses his magisterial book, Enlightenment Now.

According to Steven, humanism, reason, and science—the three pillars of enlightenment, has historically fueled enormous advancement in virtually every facet of life and are our best hope for sustaining it in the future.

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

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

On the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven discusses his most controversial book, The Blank Slate, the fabric of which is human nature's moral, political and emotional colorings.

He also touches on the numerous aspects of human nature including fear, morality, and finding meaning in life.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In ‘Do Innuendos Help Preserve Relationships?’ - Steven Pinker’s latest venture into the mechanisms of the human tongue and its power, he observes the necessity for fluid conversation and the influence it holds, to shape a relentless and stubborn world that is focused on dominance and control.

For those interested in learning about the purpose behind language tactics, Pinker asks the hard questions in an attempt to reach a consensus on how we use communication in creative ways to influence situations.

In episode Ten, the viewers will hear about the main components of language, and how varying tonalities come together to create meaningful communication between people despite their abstract pathways.

Do you want to know what brain impairments affect one's ability to speak? Hear it from Pinker himself.

In episode nine, Steven Pinker takes us on a journey through grammar enlightening us on how the algorithms and neural structures of the brain shape the rules of language. 

Here, he guides the listener through the mechanics of mental grammar and memorization to better understand the brain and its language.

In episode eight, Steven Pinker goes on to explore the essence of language and elaborates on how meaning is generated through language. 

In episode six, Steven Pinker explains the impact and influence of language while also introducing our audience to the psychological phenomenon of word magic.

In episode six, Steven Pinker discusses the critical periods in life that accelerate growth and learning, delving into the findings of why children and teenagers grasp the syntax and semantics of language more easily than adults.

In episode five, Steven Pinker shares his expertise on how the brain develops language while shedding light on how children, in particular, acquire language at a young age. 

In episode four, Steven Pinker explains how human vision works.

He elaborates on the concept of human visual attention and its limitations, including the laws of optics and projection.

In episode three, Steven Pinker delves into the concept of mental imagery and explains how this phenomenon appears in one's mind.

In episode two, Pinker weighs in on how the brain makes sense of the auditory world, the physics of sound and much more.