But in most cases even the possibility that the correlations reflect shared genes is taboo. Steven Pinker casecorrelationgene Change image and share on social
Technology, ideology, and social and cultural changes periodically throw out new forms of violence for humanity to contend with. Steven Pinker contendculturalform Change image and share on social
My politics were pretty anarchistic until 1969 when the Montreal police went on strike. Within hours, mayhem and rioting broke out and the Mounties had to be called in to restore order. It instilled in me that one's convictions can be subjected to empirical test. Steven Pinker anarchisticbreakcall share on social
My worst boss was a departmental chair who never learned to appreciate new developments in the field. He had contempt for students and younger researchers, and he saw the job of running the department as a nuisance. Steven Pinker badboschair share on social
I think it may not be a coincidence that the rise of printing and book publication and literacy and the phenomenon of best sellers all preceded the humanitarian reforms of the Enlightenment. Steven Pinker bookcoincidenceenlightenment Change image and share on social
Democracy is an imperfect way of steering between the violence of anarchy and the violence of tyranny, with the least violence you can get away with. Steven Pinker anarchydemocracyimperfect Change image and share on social
As long as your ideology identifies the main source of the world's ills as a definable group, it opens the world up to genocide. Steven Pinker definablegenocidegroup Change image and share on social
You have to remember that not every creature that was evolving left behind its skull or its tools for our convenience tens of thousands of years later. Most bones or most tools rot or get buried and are never found again. Steven Pinker boneburyconvenience share on social
As individual people, embedded in our daily lives, of course we're interested in what makes one person different from another. We've got to hire one person and not another, marry one person and not another. Steven Pinker dailyembedhave share on social
Roads, better harnesses for horses, time-keeping devices, financial instruments like a currency that was recognized everywhere in the kingdom, enforceable contracts - all of this made commerce more appealing than plunder. Steven Pinker appealcommercecontract share on social