Book · 1994 · Long Now Manual for Civilization
The Language Instinct
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker has been mentioned in 9 episodes across 7 podcasts (2 episodes recommend it and 7 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Gary Marcus (1 episode), Paul Bloom (1 episode) and Maya Shankar (3 episodes) on The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast (2 episodes), The Rich Roll Podcast (2 episodes) and EconTalk (1 episode).
- episodes
- 9
- podcasts
- 7
- people
- 4
- episodes recommend it
- 2
That was a turning point for me.
Questions about The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
Who recommends The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker on podcasts?
Gary Marcus (1 episode) and Paul Bloom (1 episode) have recommended The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker on podcasts. In all, 4 people brought it up across 7 podcasts (2 people recommended it).
Which podcasts mention The Language Instinct the most?
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast (2 episodes), The Rich Roll Podcast (2 episodes), EconTalk (1 episode), Freakonomics Radio (1 episode) and Huberman Lab (1 episode), among 7 podcasts in all.
Is The Language Instinct recommended, or only discussed?
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker was recommended in 2 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 7 episodes, as of 2026-01-15.
What do people say about The Language Instinct?
Maya Shankar on Huberman Lab (2023-07-24): "That was a turning point for me."
When was The Language Instinct last mentioned on a podcast?
The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker was last discussed on The Rich Roll Podcast on 2026-01-15.
What they say about it
- Discovered on a bookshelf“perusing the bookshelves”3
- Discusses final chapter“talks a little bit at the end”2
The best things said about it
Steve Pinker wrote a wonderful book called language Instinct where he talks about that process you were talking about before baby is instinctual.
I ran into an old course book of my sister's that was called The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker. And I remember reading just the first 10 or 15 pages, and I was immediately gripped.
In his book, The Language Instinct, he talks a little bit at the end about culture, philosophy, music, art, and all of that, religion even for that matter to some degree.
Jordan Peterson The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast · May 2021 Where and when it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct is a prominent popular science book that explores the innate nature of human language acquisition and processing. Paul Bloom brought up the book on EconTalk to discuss the inherent biological processes behind language development, while Gary Marcus recommended it as a top choice on The Ezra Klein Show. Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar frequently discussed discovering the book during her youth on several podcasts, including Huberman Lab, The Rich Roll Podcast, and the Lex Fridman Podcast, noting that stumbling upon it on a bookshelf served as a pivotal turning point that inspired her to pursue a career in cognitive science. Conversely, Jordan Peterson mentioned the text on The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast to critique its final chapter, arguing that it relegated broader cultural, philosophical, and religious topics to a superficial afterthought. Additionally, Lex Fridman briefly referenced Pinker's work while considering the wider implications of human progress alongside artificial intelligence. Across these diverse conversations, podcasters and guests highlighted the volume both as an influential catalyst for young academics and as a subject for debate regarding human cognition, culture, and intellectual history.
Every mention
Gary Marcus I will start with Steve pinker's the language Instinct for two reasons 1
“I will start with Steve pinker's the language Instinct for two reasons”
Paul Bloom Steve Pinker wrote a wonderful book called language Instinct where he talks about that process you were tal… 1
“Steve Pinker wrote a wonderful book called language Instinct where he talks about that process you were talking about before baby is instinctual”
Maya Shankar So I started looking at their bookshelf and came across a pop science book called 'The Language Instinct' b… 3
“So I started looking at their bookshelf and came across a pop science book called 'The Language Instinct' by Stephen Pinker. That was a turning point for me.”
“And I was in the basement, just kind of perusing the bookshelves. And I stumbled across a course book that my sister had had in college and called Language Instinct by Steven Pinker. And I opened it, and again, not expecting anything other than like, what is this?”
“And I ran into an old course book of my sister's that was called The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker. And I remember reading just the first 10 or 15 pages, and I was immediately gripped.”
Jordan Peterson And in his book, The Language Instinct, he talks a little bit at the end about culture, philosophy, music,… 2
“And in his book, The Language Instinct, he talks a little bit at the end about culture, philosophy, music, art, and all of that religion, even for that matter, to some degree, but it's like a throwaway chapter at the end.”
“And in his book, The Language Instinct, he talks a little bit at the end about culture, philosophy, music, art, and all of that, religion even for that matter to some degree.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker2
“Long story short, it was during this period of no man's land that I was in the summer before college um when I stumbled upon a book by Steven Pinker called the language instinct.”
“this book in language now with Steven Pinker and so on this looking generally at human progress and there's so many ways the human progress can happen with AI”
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I don't like you know like Steven Pinker um the language Instinct”
“but I was listening to this thing about monkeys I think it was Steven Pinker's book where they were talking about it was an audiobook they were talking about how monkeys have differentiated the sound that they make if there is a tiger versus the sound they make if there's an eagle any time I'm walking around and I hear”