The reason I'm not a neurobiologist but a cognitive psychologist is that I think looking at brain tissue is often the wrong level of analysis. You have to look at a higher level of organization. Steven Pinker analysisbraincognitive Change image and share on social
Words let us say the things we want to say and also things we would be better off not having said. They let us know the things we need to know, and also things we wish we didn't. Steven Pinker thingword Change image and share on social
Why is it surprising that scientists might have long hair and wear cowboy boots? In fields like neuroscience, where the events you are recording are so minute, I suspect scientists cultivate a boring, reliable image. A scientist with a reputation for flamboyance might be suspect. Steven Pinker bootborecowboy share on social
I think this confusion leads intellectuals and artists themselves to believe that the elite arts and humanities are a kind of higher, exalted form of human endeavor. Steven Pinker artartistconfusion Change image and share on social
The more you think about and interact with other people, the more you realize that it is untenable to privilege your interests over theirs. Steven Pinker interactinterestpeople Change image and share on social
Why are empirical questions about how the mind works so weighted down with political and moral and emotional baggage? Steven Pinker baggageemotionalempirical Change image and share on social
Obviously no language is innate. Take any kid from any race, bring them up in any culture and they will learn the language equally quickly. So no particular language is in the genes. But what might be in the genes is the ability to acquire language. Steven Pinker abilityacquirebring share on social
There's a common criticism of evolutionary psychology that it's fatalistic and it dooms us to eternal strife, 'Why even try to work toward peace if we're just bloody killer apes and violence is in our genes?' Steven Pinker apebloodycommon share on social
A word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell, incantation, curse, or prayer can change the world. Don't snicker: Would you ever say, 'Nothing has gone wrong yet' without looking for wood to knock? Steven Pinker arbitrarychangecurse share on social
Plants can't very well defend themselves by their behavior, so they resort to chemical warfare, and plants are saturated with toxins and irritants to deter creatures like us who want to eat them. Steven Pinker behaviorchemicalcreature Change image and share on social