Steven Pinker on The Better Angels of Our Nature

We launch our first podcast of the year today – our 2011 talk by the world renowned American cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. In it he argues that, contrary to popular belief, we are living in the least violent period of history. And that even the horrific carnage of the last century, compared to primitive societies, is part of this trend. Pinker claims that, thanks to the spread of government, literacy and trade, we are actually becoming better people.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared.


 

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

More from Intelligence Squared

  1. 51:40BONUS: Kate Winslet on Titanic, Hollywood and Finding Her VoiceFeb 28, 2021
  2. 36:47Facebook, Free Speech and the Fight for Digital Democracy, With Marietje Schaake and Carl MillerFeb 26, 2021
  3. 49:04The New Climate War, with Michael Mann and Clover HoganFeb 23, 2021
  4. 59:52Debate: Big Tech was Right to Deplatform TrumpFeb 19, 2021
  5. 40:04No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram, with Sarah Frier and Linda YuehFeb 16, 2021
  6. 42:55Britain Alone: From Suez to Brexit, with Philip Stephens and Mark MardellFeb 12, 2021
  7. 36:35The Last Untamed Frontier, with Ian Urbina and Helen CzerskiFeb 09, 2021
  8. 56:21Bellingcat Founder Eliot Higgins on Navalny, Syria and SkripalFeb 05, 2021
  9. 46:52The Great Decoupling, with Nigel Inkster and Linda YuehFeb 02, 2021
  10. 56:04Jim Al-Khalili on The World According to PhysicsJan 29, 2021