Episode · Lex Fridman Podcast · 2018-10-17
Books mentioned on Steven Pinker: AI in the Age of Reason
Steven Pinker is a professor at Harvard and before that was a professor at MIT. He is the author of many books, several of which have had a big impact on the way I see the world for the better.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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How the Mind Works
How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker is a comprehensive exploration of evolutionary psychology that investigates how the human brain evolved, how it processes information, and how these mechanisms shape modern human behavior.
Discussed“so twenty years ago in the book you've written on how the mind works”
Where to get it
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Enlightenment Now
Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker is a data-driven defense of reason, science, humanism, and human progress, arguing that global living standards have steadily improved.
Recommended“well I'd the short answer would be to read the sections that I wrote an Enlightenment”
Where to get it
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The beginning of infinity
The Beginning of Infinity by David Deutsch is a sweeping philosophical and scientific work that champions a deeply optimistic worldview, arguing that all problems are soluble given the right knowledge.
Discussed“certainly this book enlightenment now is influenced by David Deutsch as the beginning of infinity a rather deep reflection on knowledge and the power of knowledge to improve the human condition”
Where to get it
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The History, Civil, Political and Military, of the Southern Rebellion
Discussed“I read a book called the history of force self-published by a political scientist named James Payne on the historical decline of violence and that was one of the inspirations for the better angels of our nature”
Where to get it
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One, Two, Three-- Infinity
Discussed“the what about early on if we look back when you're maybe a teenager loved a book called one two three infinity”
Where to get it
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Reflections on Language
Discussed“it was one of the things I would say the I read as a college student the book reflections on language by Noam Chomsky spent most of his career here at MIT”
Where to get it
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The Blind Watchmaker
The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins is a seminal science book that presents a rigorous defense of evolutionary biology and explains how complex organisms arise through natural selection rather than conscious design.
Discussed“Richard Dawkins two books the blind watchmaker and The Selfish Gene or enormous Li influential partly for mainly for the content but also for the writing style”
Where to get it
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The Selfish Gene
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins is a landmark popular science book that presents a gene-centric view of evolution and introduced the concept of the meme.
Discussed“Richard Dawkins two books the blind watchmaker and The Selfish Gene or enormous Li influential partly for mainly for the content but also for the writing style”
Where to get it
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Ever Since Darwin
Discussed“Stephen Jay Gould first collection ever since Darwin also excellent example of lively writing”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“In particular, The Better Angels of Our Nature and Enlightenment Now have instilled in me a sense of optimism grounded in data, science, and reason.”
“In particular, The Better Angels of Our Nature and Enlightenment Now have instilled in me a sense of optimism grounded in data, science, and reason.”
“I read a book called the history of force self-published by a political scientist named James Payne on the historical decline of violence and that was one of the inspirations for the better angels of our nature”