Steven Pinker Libri

Il linguaggio è una delle caratteristiche umane più straordinarie. A quattro anni, un bambino conosce migliaia di parole e costruisce frasi complesse, superando l'intelligenza artificiale. Può una struttura così articolata nascere da zero, solo per imitazione? Noam Chomsky, negli anni Sessanta, ha proposto che tutte le lingue condividono una "grammatica universale", innata nel cervello del bambino. Steven Pinker va oltre, dimostrando che l'uomo possiede un istinto ereditario per il linguaggio, frutto dell'evoluzione naturale, simile alla proboscide di un elefante. Esistono geni del linguaggio? Pinker risponde di sì. I bambini non parlano subito poiché le strutture cerebrali necessarie richiedono tre anni per maturare. Il linguaggio si sviluppa anche attraverso la comunicazione, specifica per ogni società. Tuttavia, non pensiamo in una lingua specifica; esiste un linguaggio mentale astratto, il "mentalese", che forma i pensieri e viene tradotto nella lingua madre. In un mondo di scambi culturali sempre più frequenti, la teoria di Pinker riduce la distanza tra le culture, delineando una nuova visione dell'umanità.

The follow-up to Pinker's groundbreaking The Better Angels of Our Nature presents the big picture of human progress: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. Far from being a naive hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature--tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking--which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation

A controversial history of violence argues that today's world is the most peaceful time in human existence, drawing on psychological insights into intrinsic values that are causing people to condemn violence as an acceptable measure.

What is the truth about human nature? Steven Pinker argues that our usual explanations of human behaviour - stated most clearly in the human sciences of psychology, ethics and politics - tend to deny what is now undeniable: the role of an inherited human nature.

What is the secret of good prose? Does it matter in an age of digital media? In this witty, mind-expanding book about the art and science of writing well, Steven Pinker shows that good style isn't just about rules - it's about empathy, coherence and adding beauty to the world. 'Witty, direct and idiosyncratic . . . often laugh-out-loud funny . . . refreshingly uncensorious . . . It helps enormously that he is such a beautiful stylist himself.' Paula Byrne, The Times 'Wonderful . . . No true lover of this chaotic, unregulated, magnificently vital language could fail to thrill.' Christopher Hart, Sunday Times 'Brainy, funny . . . a comedy of linguistic bad manners.' Peter Conrad, Guardian 'Outstanding . . . the one book I can unreservedly recommend as a guide on how to write well . . . unique as well as brilliant.' Oliver Kamm, The Times

"Presented with extraordinary lucidity, cogency and panache...Powerful and gripping...To have read [the book] is to have consulted a first draft of the structural plan of the human psyche...a glittering tour de force" - Spectator "Why do memories fade? Why do we lose our tempers? Why do fools fall in love? Pinker's objective in this erudite account is to explore the nature and history of the human mind...He explores computations and evolutions, and then considers how the mind lets us "see, think, feel, interact, and pursue higher callings like art, religion and philosophy" - Sunday Times

Collects for the first time Steven Pinker's most influential scholarly work on language and cognition. Pinker is a highly eminent cognitive scientist, and these essays emphasize the importance of language and its connections to cognition, social relationships, child development, human evolution, and theories of human nature.

Steven Pinker analyses what words actually mean and how we use them, and he reveals what this can tell us about ourselves. He shows how we use space and motion as metaphors for more abstract ideas, and uncovers the deeper structures of human thought that have been shaped by evolutionary history.

How does language function? How do children acquire their mother tongue? Why do languages evolve, making older forms like Shakespearean and Chaucer's English challenging to understand? What accounts for the quirks and irregularities in languages? Are they fundamentally similar? How are new words formed? Where is language processed in the brain? In this insightful work, Steven Pinker addresses these questions and more. With the same wit and style found in his classic, he delves into language through the lens of a seemingly simple phenomenon: the existence of regular and irregular verbs. This exploration connects a wide range of topics across the sciences and humanities, including language history, computer simulations of human language, children's speech errors, English peculiarities, key themes in Western philosophy, and advancements in genetics and brain imaging. Pinker elucidates these complexities through a powerful idea: language consists of a mental dictionary of memorized words and a mental grammar of creative rules. This distinction not only deepens our understanding of language but also sheds light on the human mind itself. This work is a captivating and original contribution from one of the leading cognitive scientists of our time.

Before Steven Pinker became known for his bestsellers on language and human nature, he authored several influential technical monographs on language acquisition. His 1989 work, which integrates two significant topics—how children learn their mother tongue and how the mind categorizes fundamental concepts like space, time, causality, agency, and goals—has become a classic in cognitive science. Children exhibit remarkable subtlety in language use; for instance, phrases like "pour water into the glass" sound natural, while "pour the glass with water" does not. This raises the question of how children make these distinctions without consistent correction or merely mimicking their parents. Pinker addresses this paradox through a theory on how children grasp the meanings and applications of verbs, delving into its implications for language, thought, and their interrelation. In a new preface, he reflects on how the ideas explored in this work inspired his later bestseller, which examines language as a lens into human nature. He emphasizes that these technical discussions offer valuable insights into not only language acquisition but also literary metaphor, scientific understanding, political discourse, and societal views on sexuality and obscenity.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “In our uncertain age, which can so often feel so dark and disturbing, Steven Pinker has distinguished himself as a voice of positivity.” – New York Times Can reading a book make you more rational? Steven Pinker addresses this question and explores the paradox of humanity's scientific advancements alongside widespread irrationality. Despite developing vaccines for Covid-19 in record time, society grapples with fake news and conspiracy theories. Pinker challenges the notion that humans are inherently irrational, arguing instead that we possess the capacity for rational thought, having discovered the laws of nature and improved our lives through knowledge. However, we often neglect the powerful reasoning tools available to us—such as logic, critical thinking, and understanding probability and causation. These concepts are rarely taught effectively, leaving a gap in our education. The book also examines how the rational pursuit of self-interest and group loyalty can lead to societal irrationality. Promoting collective rationality requires norms that foster objectivity and truth. Ultimately, embracing rationality can lead to better personal choices and social progress. Brimming with insight and humor, this work aims to enlighten and empower readers.

"Progress. It is one of the animating concepts of the modern era. From the Enlightenment onwards, the West has had an enduring belief that through the evolution of institutions, innovations, and ideas, the human condition is improving. This process is supposedly accelerating as new technologies, individual freedoms, and the spread of global norms empower individuals and societies around the world. But is progress inevitable? Its critics argue that human civilization has become different, not better, over the last two and a half centuries. What is seen as a breakthrough or innovation in one period becomes a setback or limitation in another. In short, progress is an ideology not a fact; a way of thinking about the world as opposed to a description of reality. In the seventeenth semi-annual Munk Debates, which was held in Toronto on November 6, 2015, pioneering cognitive scientist Steven Pinker and best-selling author Matt Ridley squared off against noted philosopher Alain de Botton and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell to debate whether humankind's best days lie ahead, "--Amazon.com.

Wie Gemeinsames Wissen unsere Gesellschaft bildet – die erste umfassende Theorie Von der Börse über internationale Beziehungen bis hin zu privaten Verabredungen: Tagtäglich treffen wir Annahmen darüber, was andere Menschen wissen und denken, und richten unser Handeln danach aus – oft, ohne uns dessen bewusst zu sein. Steven Pinker befasst sich in seinem neuen Buch damit, wie wir den Wissensstand anderer Menschen einschätzen. Anhand von zahlreichen Beispielen aus der Spieltheorie, der Geschichte und unserem Alltag zeigt er so klar wie unterhaltsam, dass unsere alltäglichen Interaktionen auf komplexesten Überlegungen beruhen – und warum diese Tatsache unser Zusammenleben entscheidend prägt.

‘Als je het niet simpel kunt uitleggen, dan begrijp je het niet goed genoeg.’ – Einstein wist als geen ander hoe wetenschap kan zijn. Wetenschap is op zijn mooist als ingewikkelde problemen op elegante wijze verklaard kunnen worden. De 156 verklaringen in dit boek zijn zo mooi dat je hart er sneller van gaat kloppen. John Brockman, oprichter van de website edge.org, stelt jaarlijks één vraag aan een selectie van de meest interessante wetenschappers en kunstenaars ter wereld. Dit jaar was de vraag: ‘Wat is je favoriete diepe, elegante of mooie verklaring?’ In Dit verklaart alles delen 156 Nederlandse en internationale toonaangevende denkers hun antwoord op deze vraag. De wetenschappers die aan het woord komen zijn dagelijks bezig met de theorieën en oplossingen van deze tijd, vanuit de filosofie, wiskunde, economie, geschiedenis, linguïstiek en gedragswetenschappen. De bijdragen zijn van Susan Blackmore, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Richard Dawkins, Brian Eno (muzikant en producer van U2), Stine Jensen, Steven Pinker en nog 150 anderen. Op filosofische, intellectuele, humoristische, confronterende en innovatieve wijze worden de meest elegante wetenschappelijke verklaringen uitgelegd. In dit boek staan de antwoorden der antwoorden op de vragen der vragen.

Bijna dagelijks worden we geconfronteerd met nieuwe inzichten en weetjes, variërend van wereldbelang tot drijfzand. Of het nu gaat om dieetvoorschriften, experimentele medicijnen, technologische doorbraken of klimaatvoorspellingen, het is voor leken vaak onmogelijk om waardevolle informatie te onderscheiden van onzin. Wat zijn de ontdekkingen die écht invloed hebben op onze toekomst? John Brockman, oprichter van edge.org, vroeg invloedrijke wetenschappers en denkers naar het meest interessante recente wetenschappelijke nieuws. Steven Pinker wijst op de kwantificering van menselijke vooruitgang als een opmerkelijke ontwikkeling. Chris Anderson is onder de indruk van het sociale experiment dat internet vertegenwoordigt en de opkomst van een wereldwijd collectief bewustzijn. Max Tegmark waarschuwt dat technologische en wetenschappelijke vooruitgang de leercurve van onze wijsheid overstijgt, wat zorgwekkend is, vooral bij gevoelige onderwerpen zoals kernwapens. Peter Gabriel benadrukt hoe hersenwetenschap de grens tussen fantasie en werkelijkheid vervaagt. Daarnaast delen ook John C. Mather, Bill Joy, Michael Shermer, Matt Ridley, George Church en anderen hun inzichten, wat een breed scala aan perspectieven biedt op de huidige wetenschappelijke ontwikkelingen.