Comments on: A review of Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/ Neuroscience and psychology news and views. Fri, 24 May 2013 17:03:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: m http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22800 Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:54:52 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22800 I think Pinker is full of it. Although there may be a decrease in violence, it’s only because of laws.

People/Govt are watching(surveillance/cameras) a lot closer to what’s going on,not to mention public scorn.

And the internet, –well, that’s the all seeing camera isn’t it.

]]> By: The Spamlist! » A review of Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22542 Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:10:05 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22542 [...] from Mind Hacks [...]

]]> By: Tim http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22403 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:01:06 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22403 Steven Pinker gave a presentation for the Edge
Symposium on this book. For those who want an additional synopsis:

http://edge.org/conversation/mc2011-history-violence-pinker

]]> By: Neil http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22345 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:35:02 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22345 Interesting discussion here:
http://crookedtimber.org/2011/10/16/violence-down-claims-pinker-the-thinker/

I hated Blank Slate. I doubt my blood pressure can survive reading Pinker again. Certainly he has a habit of simply pretending that data that doesn’t fit simply doesn’t exist.

]]> By: Emmy http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22341 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:26:24 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22341 Nicely written review. I’m much more interested in the book now. I’m wondering several things: is it possible that the decline in violence among the well educated has more to do with having a well-paying job and secure life rather than an enlightened mind?

I heard a scientist (sorry, can’t remember her qualifications) mention that people are in prison for 3 reasons: they are either sociopaths, psychopaths or if they are normal, their imprisonment is for a lack of feeling “useful” to society. So are there fewer people commiting crimes? I hear that high school students these days are less violent but more narcissistic; thus is it possible that stealing and cheating have replaced aggression?

]]> By: matt http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22337 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:42:12 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22337 how difficult is this for the lay reader to absorb? the topic is fascinating, but the length of the book worries me only because i’ve no background in statistics, etc. which i hear this book is heavily laced with.

]]> By: matt http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22336 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:39:52 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22336 how difficult would this book be for the lay reader?

]]> By: Bradley Voytek http://mindhacks.com/2011/10/18/a-review-of-pinkers-the-better-angels-of-our-nature/#comment-22323 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:55:20 +0000 http://mindhacks.com/?p=20042#comment-22323 Interesting… I wasn’t going to bother with it, but I may very well give it a read now.

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