I'm very interested in language because it reflects our obsessions and ways of conceptualising the world. Steven Pinker conceptualiseinterestlanguage Change image and share on social
Statisticians tell us that people underestimate the sheer number of coincidences that are bound to happen in a world governed by chance. Steven Pinker bindchancecoincidence Change image and share on social
Consciousness surely does not depend on language. Babies, many animals, and patients robbed of speech by brain damage are not insensate robots; they have reactions like ours that indicate that someone's home. Steven Pinker animalbabybrain share on social
The actual organization of behavior goes on the level of the individual nerve cells and their connections, and we have a hundred billion nerve cells, probably a hundred trillion connections. It's just mind-boggling to think of all the different ways in which they're arranged in a baby's head. Steven Pinker actualarrangebaby share on social
I never outgrew my conversion to atheism at 13, but at various times was a serious cultural Jew. Steven Pinker atheismconversioncultural Change image and share on social
I don't consider myself to be that radical a thinker. Steven Pinker radicalthinker Change image and share on social
I think students should know something about religion as a historical phenomenon, in the same way that they should know something about socialism and humanism and the other great ideas that have shaped political philosophies and therefore the course of human events. Steven Pinker eventgreathistorical share on social
The reason the United States is not so likely to invade Iran is precisely because of the lessons learned from Iraq. And conversely, the Iranian push towards nuclear capability is calculated to deter invasions like the kind deposing Saddam Husain. Steven Pinker calculatecapabilityconversely share on social
Astrology had an important role in the ancient world. You can't understand many things unless you know something about astrology - the plays of Shakespeare and so on. Steven Pinker ancientastrologyimportant Change image and 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