(9)
(7)
(8)
(4)In this summary you will learn
- What “human nature” means
- Why people are not “Blank Slates” at birth
- Why the “Noble Savage” doctrine is wrong
- How the 20th century academic establishment fought to suppress the truth about human nature
Why you should read The Blank Slate
This book covers a lot of ground: philosophy, genetics, cognition, sociology and academic infighting. Steven Pinker, writing with persuasiveness and craft, shows why the doctrine of the “Blank Slate” became so important to 20th century intellectuals that they were willing to lie, cheat, libel and even threaten those who dissented. Yet, the dissenters were right. Given what science now knows of genetics, the idea that people are blank slates at birth is simply untenable. getAbstract finds that the author, despite a few hints of personal prejudices (ah, there’s human nature again), does an excellent job of grappling with enormously challenging subjects.
About the Author
Steven Pinker is a psychology professor at Harvard University. His research on visual cognition and the psychology of language earned prizes from the National Academy of Sciences and the American Psychological Association, which gave The Blank Slate two major book awards.
Comment on this summary
Be the first to write a comment! Sign in to share your opinion
If you wish to purchase 20 or more copies of this title (not the summary, but the actual book), please contact us at info@getAbstract.com. Make sure you include the title of the book and your phone number.
getAbstract makes it easy for you to access the summary of The Blank Slate any time or any place. Once registered, you can choose from a variety of download formats: PDF for your computer, BlackBerry, iPhone, Kindle, PDA or other handheld devices. You can even obtain the audio version of many of our summaries.
Subscribe today to gain access to this summary as well as many other compelling titles!
