The Blank Slate

The Modern Denial of Human Nature

By: Steven Pinker

Narrated by: Victor Bevine

Length: 22 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading experts on language and the mind, explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. With characteristic wit, lucidity, and insight, Pinker argues that the dogma that the mind has no innate traits - a doctrine held by many intellectuals during the past century - denies our common humanity and our individual preferences, replaces objective analyses of social problems with feel-good slogans, and distorts our understanding of politics, violence, parenting, and the arts.

Injecting calm and rationality into debates that are notorious for ax-grinding and mud-slinging, Pinker shows the importance of an honest acknowledgment of human nature based on science and common sense.

NOTE: Some changes to the original text have been made with the author's approval.

©2003 Steven Pinker (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[P]ersuasive and illuminating." ( Publishers Weekly)

Another exceptional read by Pinker

Thought-provoking as ever, Pinker provides some excellent insights into human nature… happy to recommend this book.

Enriching

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend to someone in search of an unbiased observation of the human nature.

Raises common sense to an art form

I just can’t believe how often Pinker says something and I think “I never thought of it that way, but now that you mention it, that’s obviously correct!” He has completely changed the way I think about history, human nature, and of course language.

Excellent book, mixed reading

The book is superb. The other reviews criticizing the science presented by Pinker sound like sour grapes to me. Yes, Pinker is sharply critical of some scientists that were were committed to the idealogy of the blank slate. The examples cited are cases where these scientists used political methods to slander the work of the other scientist who were succeeding in disproving the idealogy. Pinker presented the works and actions of these scientists and showed them to be absurd. This happens several times throughout the book, but the book is full of positive science that has improved my understanding of many facets of human nature.

The reading is mixed. For the most part, I like Bevine's voice and feel it fits well the intellectual nature of the book. But there are times I think Bevine put too much scorn in his intonation, making Pinker's objective criticisms take on a subjective tone, which I think is a disservice.

Thought provoking

This book would be on required reading lists for every high school student if we were more interested in pushing knowledge forward
in a truly progressive society utilizing honest scholarship and dialogue, rather than settling for sanctimonious self-aggrandizing by practical hypocrites. A great listen that informs thought well after it’s finished.

Absorbing Like a Wet Paper Towel

There is something about Steven Pinker that I like. For the nonbelievers, his explanation of having a blank slate and the theory of human nature makes sense. I've been reading a lot of Dr. Pinker's books and lectures and most of his material relates to the human mind, violence, and our natural instincts and desires.

As I read more of his work, I'm starting to believe that I am somewhat an atheist because a lot of his ideas are easy to absorb, like a wet paper towel. Even when I was in Sunday school, I didn't really drink the Kool Aid. I'm not saying that is neither bad or good, but for me, I always questioned.

As for "The Blank Slate", so far this is my favorite book. It gives an overall view of the blank slate theory. Just enough to get your feet wet, but not overbearing with one topic and leave you with boredom.

Not Pinker's finest work , but still fine

This I found to be a sprawling , often quagmired work . Pinker is definitely an author I would recommend to anyone with a human curiosity coefficient . But this book will require a 3 stage digestion . Suitable for herbivores , conifers and extremophiles .

This book is first line self defence against PoMo

If you could sum up The Blank Slate in three words, what would they be?

Brilliant enjoyable reading.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Blank Slate?

A clear demonstration of how some experiments are misrepresented by only showing results which appear to support the thesis of The Blank Slate.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Self Defence course against Neo-communism

Any additional comments?

This book is both enjoyable and highly informative, with verifiable sources used all through. It is a tiny candle in the cavern of contemporary postmodern darkness imposed throughout the humanities in universities today. I wish I could make this compulsory reading.

human nature from every angle

enlightening look at why we've foolishly believed so many nonsensical things about life and purpose for so long and many reasons why the basis for modern arguments are based on an outdated understanding of human nature.

Outstanding

I had been meaning to read the Selfish Gene by Dawkins. This book was a great follow-up.

One annoying thing the narrator does is constantly refer to the book he is reading as an "audiobook", when you know it just says "book" in the text. That, and numerous mispronunciations (mostly names like Thomas Sowell...) were annoying, but not bad enough to take even one star from the review.

Overall great book and performance. I look forward to reading Pinker's other work.