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The Resource Enlightenment now : the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress, Steven Pinker

Enlightenment now : the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress, Steven Pinker

Creator
Author
Summary
  • The follow-up to Pinker's groundbreaking The Better Angels of Our Nature presents the big picture of human progress: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. Far from being a naive hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature--tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking--which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation
  • Is the world really falling apart? Is the ideal of progress obsolete? Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. Instead, follow the data. In seventy-five graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise, not just in the West, but worldwide. This progress is not the result of some cosmic force. It is a gift of the Enlightenment: the conviction that reason and science can enhance human flourishing. Far from being a naïve hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature -- tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking -- which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation. Pinker makes the case for reason, science, and humanism: the ideals we need to confront our problems and continue our progress
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xix, 556 pages
Contents
  • Dare to understand!
  • Entro, evo, info
  • Counter-enlightenments
  • Progressophobia
  • Life
  • Health
  • Sustenance
  • Wealth
  • Inequality
  • The environment
  • Peace
  • Safety
  • Terrorism
  • Democracy
  • Equal rights
  • Knowledge
  • Quality of life
  • Happiness
  • Existential threats
  • The future of progress
  • Reason
  • Science
  • Humanism
Isbn
9780525559023
Instance
Label
Enlightenment now : the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress
Title
Enlightenment now
Title remainder
the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress
Statement of responsibility
Steven Pinker
Creator
Author
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
  • The follow-up to Pinker's groundbreaking The Better Angels of Our Nature presents the big picture of human progress: people are living longer, healthier, freer, and happier lives, and while our problems are formidable, the solutions lie in the Enlightenment ideal of using reason and science. Far from being a naive hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature--tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking--which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation
  • Is the world really falling apart? Is the ideal of progress obsolete? Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, which play to our psychological biases. Instead, follow the data. In seventy-five graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise, not just in the West, but worldwide. This progress is not the result of some cosmic force. It is a gift of the Enlightenment: the conviction that reason and science can enhance human flourishing. Far from being a naïve hope, the Enlightenment, we now know, has worked. But more than ever, it needs a vigorous defense. The Enlightenment project swims against currents of human nature -- tribalism, authoritarianism, demonization, magical thinking -- which demagogues are all too willing to exploit. Many commentators, committed to political, religious, or romantic ideologies, fight a rearguard action against it. The result is a corrosive fatalism and a willingness to wreck the precious institutions of liberal democracy and global cooperation. Pinker makes the case for reason, science, and humanism: the ideals we need to confront our problems and continue our progress
Cataloging source
YDX
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1954-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Pinker, Steven
Dewey number
303.44
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
HM891
LC item number
.P56 2018
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Progress
  • Civilization, Modern
  • Enlightenment
  • Social change
  • Quality of life
  • Humanism
  • Reason
  • PSYCHOLOGY
  • SCIENCE
  • SOCIAL SCIENCE
  • Civilization, Modern
  • Enlightenment
  • Humanism
  • Progress
  • Quality of life
  • Reason
  • Social change
  • Progress
Label
Enlightenment now : the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress, Steven Pinker
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 455-524) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Dare to understand! -- Entro, evo, info -- Counter-enlightenments -- Progressophobia -- Life -- Health -- Sustenance -- Wealth -- Inequality -- The environment -- Peace -- Safety -- Terrorism -- Democracy -- Equal rights -- Knowledge -- Quality of life -- Happiness -- Existential threats -- The future of progress -- Reason -- Science -- Humanism
Control code
ocn993692045
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xix, 556 pages
Isbn
9780525559023
Lccn
2017301147
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)993692045
Label
Enlightenment now : the case for reason, science, humanism, and progress, Steven Pinker
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 455-524) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Dare to understand! -- Entro, evo, info -- Counter-enlightenments -- Progressophobia -- Life -- Health -- Sustenance -- Wealth -- Inequality -- The environment -- Peace -- Safety -- Terrorism -- Democracy -- Equal rights -- Knowledge -- Quality of life -- Happiness -- Existential threats -- The future of progress -- Reason -- Science -- Humanism
Control code
ocn993692045
Dimensions
25 cm
Extent
xix, 556 pages
Isbn
9780525559023
Lccn
2017301147
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)993692045

Subject

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