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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

In season one of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven Pinker tackles everything from psychological experiments to language.