The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human NatureIn this title, Steven Pinker makes explicit the argument which has been a backdrop to his previous books and many other popular science titles. He argues that much of our social commentary, conventional wisdom, and academic orthodoxy is wrongly rooted in the doctrines of the noble savage (civilisation is the source of human corruption) and the blank slate (the mind has no innate structure; all thoughts and feelings seep into our heads from surrounding culture). He explores the impact of these notions on our attitudes to sexuality, ideology, political correctness and the arts, and insists that we need to be more honest about human nature. |
Contents
The Blank Slate the Noble Savage | 1 |
Silly Putty | 14 |
The Last Wall to Fall | 30 |
Copyright | |
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ability African Americans American animals argue behavior behavioral genetics believe biologist biology Blank Slate Boston Globe brain called cause Chagnon Chapter child cognitive common concept conflict connectionism cortex crime culture Daly & Wilson doctrine emotions environment evolution evolutionary evolutionary psychology evolved example explain fact fear feminism gender genes genetic genome heritability human nature idea identical twins images individual innate input intellectual intelligence intuitive John Tooby kind language learning Leda Cosmides Lewontin living logic male mental mind moral natural selection networks neural neurons Noble Savage organism parents person philosopher Pinker Plomin policies political psychology punishment rape reason reciprocal altruism sciences of human scientists sense sexual share siblings social Social Darwinism society Sociobiology soul Sowell species stereotypes theory things thought tion Tooby traits Trivers understanding University violence Vision visual women words wrote Yanomamö York