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The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker

The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker

This Is 42

21 episodesEN

Show overview

The Life Of The Mind by Steven Pinker has been publishing since 2022, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 21 episodes. That works out to roughly 3 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a roughly quarterly cadence.

Episodes typically run under ten minutes — most land between 8 min and 11 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Science show.

The catalogue appears to be on hiatus or wound down — the most recent episode landed 1.8 years ago, with no new episodes in over a year. The busiest year was 2022, with 20 episodes published. Published by This Is 42.

Episodes
21
Running
2022–2024 · 2y
Median length
10 min
Cadence
Quarterly-ish

From the publisher

Delve deep into the labyrinth of the human mind with Professor Steven Pinker as he demystifies the complexities of the human condition using the tools offered by cognitive psychology. Steven is a world-renowned Cognitive Psychologist, Linguist and Professor who has taught at Harvard, MIT & Stanford Universities, and has made it to Time Magazines’ 100 Most Influential People in the World Today. Calling Professor Pinker a Titan in his field would definitely be an understatement! In this 20 chapter Videobook series, watch Professor Pinker hand you the key that will open your mind to the inner workings of the human psyche. Buckle up for a mind-bending journey into evolutionary psychology, the language of the brain and more..

Latest Episodes

View all 21 episodes

Ep 21Rationality Under Threat: Steven Pinker On Academic Freedom at Dissident Dialogues

I spoke on Human Rationality and Academic Freedom at the Dissident Dialogues event in New York this year. Drawing from my book, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, I explore why rational thinking is essential yet slowly becoming elusive in our society. Today we have what Dan Kahan calls expressive rationality which is allegiance to a social group, and right or left wing political loyalty - both of which often interfere with reasoned study and dialogue. In an era where academic freedom is under threat, with individuals being canceled or fired for expressing their views, it is crucial to protect and develop our institutions of reason. #Rationality #AcademicFreedom #DissidentDialogues#Rationality #AcademicFreedom #DissidentDialogues #pinker #cognitivepsychology #podcast #psychology #science #stevenpinker #motivation #success #mindset #sound #mind #brain #imagination #languagedevelopment #language #words #magic #memorizing #social #mechanism #humanbehavior #fear #expressions #music #universal #genetics #equalitynow Follow me: Twitter: https://bitly.ws/3eEx6 Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/Stevenpinkerpage/?_rdc=1&_rdr Website: https://stevenpinker.org/

Jul 22, 202414 min

Ep 20Enlightenment Now (S1 EP20)

In his latest and last episode of the series, Steven Pinker discusses his magisterial book, Enlightenment Now. According to Steven, humanism, reason, and science—the three pillars of enlightenment, has historically fueled enormous advancement in virtually every facet of life and are our best hope for sustaining it in the future.

Nov 30, 20228 min

Ep 19The History of Violence: From the Stone Age to the Present Day (S1 EP19)

On the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven walks you through the evolution of violence and how its trajectory has changed over the past two millennia. Steven also delves into good and bad aspects of human nature while also looking at how civil and societal progress have impacted the prevalence of violence.

Nov 23, 202210 min

Ep 18Why Do We Deny The Existence of Human Nature? (S1 EP18)

On the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven discusses his most controversial book, The Blank Slate, the fabric of which is human nature's moral, political and emotional colorings. He also touches on the numerous aspects of human nature including fear, morality, and finding meaning in life.

Nov 16, 202211 min

Ep 17Nature Vs. Nurture: What’s more impactful (S1 EP17)

Since the Ancient Greeks discussed the origins of personality traits, the great debate of Nature vs. Nurture has been at the forefront of psychological debate. In this episode, Steven discusses how genetics influences a person's personality and make-up as he debunks the fallacy that nurture has a greater influence on how we act.

Nov 9, 202210 min

Ep 16What Makes Music So Universal? (S1 EP16)

Steven Pinker explains the incredible role of music in cultures around the world in his latest episode, providing substantial evidence to say that music is the labyrinth that connects us all.

Nov 2, 20224 min

Ep 15What Evolution Reveals About Human Behavior (S1 EP15)

Needless to say that evolution is responsible for all of our physical and psychological characteristics. In this episode, Steven delves into evolutionary psychology, the study of behavior, thought, and emotion viewed through the lens of evolutionary biology. He talks about our own adaptabilities throughout evolution as well as how human behaviors are influenced by physical and psychological predispositions that helped human ancestors survive and reproduce.

Oct 26, 202214 min

Ep 14Why We All Fall Victim to Bystander Apathy (S1 EP14)

In the latest episode of ‘The Life Of The Mind’, Steven Pinker delves into the mind of a bystander and explains the social-psychological theory of bystander apathy, a phenomenon in which people are less likely to help others in groups than when they are alone.

Oct 19, 20227 min

Ep 13The Eight Levels of Charitable Giving (S1 EP13)

With an interesting look into charity and generosity as a whole, Steven Pinker refers to Moses Maimonedes’s theory on the eight rungs of generosity in this new episode. Donating for a good cause is never a bad idea, but why is it important to assess the situation and understand the process? With common knowledge in human communication evolving with us, we are all aware of the need for transaction with everything we do. As such, a particularly charitable act could come with a hefty invisible price tag if you don’t read the room. Join the conversation as Pinker helps us understand why the payoff to charity exists, and how we can think our way around it.

Oct 12, 20228 min

Ep 12Common knowledge and Its role in one’s life (S1 EP12)

In ‘Common Knowledge’ - Steven Pinker’s observation on the mechanics of subconscious human communication, he deciphers the way humans navigate situation and circumstance based on an honour system that has been in place through the ages. For those interested in the workings of advanced human communications, Pinker issues this walkthrough for us to approach through our own experiences and perspectives relative to common knowledge.

Oct 5, 20227 min

Ep 11DO INNUENDOS HELP PRESERVE RELATIONSHIPS? (S1 EP11)

In ‘Do Innuendos Help Preserve Relationships?’ - Steven Pinker’s latest venture into the mechanisms of the human tongue and its power, he observes the necessity for fluid conversation and the influence it holds, to shape a relentless and stubborn world that is focused on dominance and control. For those interested in learning about the purpose behind language tactics, Pinker asks the hard questions in an attempt to reach a consensus on how we use communication in creative ways to influence situations.

Sep 28, 202212 min

Ep 10How Language Influences Your Brain (S1 EP10)

In episode Ten, the viewers will hear about the main components of language, and how varying tonalities come together to create meaningful communication between people despite their abstract pathways. Do you want to know what brain impairments affect one's ability to speak? Hear it from Pinker himself.

Sep 21, 20226 min

Ep 9Learn How to Use Grammar Correctly (S1 EP9)

In episode nine, Steven Pinker takes us on a journey through grammar enlightening us on how the algorithms and neural structures of the brain shape the rules of language. Here, he guides the listener through the mechanics of mental grammar and memorization to better understand the brain and its language.

Sep 14, 20229 min

Ep 8Language and Meaning: Let’s Discuss (S1 EP8)

In episode eight, Steven Pinker goes on to explore the essence of language and elaborates on how meaning is generated through language.

Sep 7, 20226 min

Ep 7The Magic Of Words (S1 EP7)

In episode six, Steven Pinker explains the impact and influence of language while also introducing our audience to the psychological phenomenon of word magic.

Aug 31, 20227 min

Ep 6The Best Time To Learn Something - And It's NOT When You Think (S1 EP6)

In episode six, Steven Pinker discusses the critical periods in life that accelerate growth and learning, delving into the findings of why children and teenagers grasp the syntax and semantics of language more easily than adults.

Aug 24, 202211 min

Ep 5How Does The Brain Develop Language? S1 EP5

In episode five, Steven Pinker shares his expertise on how the brain develops language while shedding light on how children, in particular, acquire language at a young age.

Aug 17, 20229 min

Ep 4The Mind’s Eye (S1 EP4)

In episode four, Steven Pinker explains how human vision works. He elaborates on the concept of human visual attention and its limitations, including the laws of optics and projection.

Aug 10, 20224 min

Ep 3Inner Workings of The Human Mind (S1 EP3)

In episode three, Steven Pinker delves into the concept of mental imagery and explains how this phenomenon appears in one's mind.

Aug 3, 202210 min

Ep 2How The Brain Makes Sense Of The Auditory World (S1 EP2)

In episode two, Pinker weighs in on how the brain makes sense of the auditory world, the physics of sound and much more.

Jul 27, 202210 min
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