The mind, he writes, is a system of organs of computation that allowed our ancestors to understand and outsmart objects, animals, plants, and each other. Pinker explains the mind by reverseengineering itfiguring out what natural selection designed it to accomplish in the environment in which we evolved. Steven pinker books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. In my book how the mind works, i defended the theory that the human mind is a naturally selected system of organs of computation. In the more recent book, the author takes on the entire. Given the enormous breadth of the topic that pinker is attempting to a very good book, albeit not the quickest read ever. Combining the theories of natural selection and computational theory of mind, evolutionary psychologist steven pinker shares how the mind thought of as a system of organs, designed over long periods of time, functions to solve the problems of a species within the ecological niche such as the homo sapiens. Jun 26, 2009 steven pinker is a johnstone family professor in the department of psychology at harvard university. Pinker used evolutionary psychology as one of the two main planks for his second bestseller, how the mind works. How the mind creates language, and how the mind works, and more on thriftbooks. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 448 pages and is available in paperback format.
Steven pinker audio books, best sellers, author bio. A provocative, imaginative exploration of the nature and progress of knowledgedazzling. From all the pinker ive read how the mind works, the language instinct and the blank slate, i would say the language instinct appealed most to me because its not only a witty, entertaining, accessible introduction to linguistics, it also disc. Pinkers objective in this erudite account is to explore the nature and history of the human mind.
He sometimes digresses, but hell, i finally understood what deconstructionism was. Pdf how the mind works book by steven pinker free download. In this extraordinary bestseller, steven pinker, one of the wor. Buy how the mind works first edition first printing by steven pinker isbn. This is more of an outcome of intense research work than a mere psychology nonfiction. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Steven pinker is one of the worlds most influential thinkers and writers on the human condition. How the mind works by steven pinker commentary magazine. Download how the mind works by steven pinker pdf book download pdf ebook. Pinker talked about his new book how the mind works. How the mind creates language, and how the mind works, and more on. The least interesting is the lack of substance in the theory of how the mind works. Name of writer, number pages in ebook and size are given in our post. His most ambitious book so far, how the mind works, was published to. Nov 08, 2011 listen to how the mind works audiobook by steven pinker.
Well hypothesised, well written, and well defended. How the mind works by steven pinker pdf book download. The main characters of this science, psychology story are. However, the book really takes off towards the end applying evoltionary. He explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and ponder the mysteries of life. Steven pinker sounds like someone who is high on a joint before he wrote.
How the mind works by steven pinker is one ofthe best books available today about the human mind. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read how the mind works. How the mind works synthesizes the most satisfying explanations of our mental life from cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and other fields. Steven pinker is harvard college professor of psychology at harvard university. Some of the same subject matter in this book is treated masterfully in the books evolution for everyone by david sloan wilson. Listen to how the mind works audiobook by steven pinker. How the mind works book by steven pinker thriftbooks. The sequel, how the mind works 1997, earned a nomination for the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction. Books recommended by steven pinker bookadvice reading list. Steven pinker books list of books by author steven pinker. How the mind works a witty, erudite, stimulating and provocative book that throws much new light on the machinery of the mind. A twotime pulitzer finalist and the winner of many prizes for his research, teaching, and books, he has been named one of times 100 most influential people in the world today and foreign policys 100 global thinkers.
How the mind works steven pinker article pdf available in philosophy of science 663 september 1999 with 2,267 reads how we measure reads. His popular and highly praised books include words and rules, how the mind works, and the language instinct. How the mind works is a 1997 book by canadianamerican cognitive scientist steven pinker. The publication of steven pinker s the language instinct. Steven pinker, the guardianin this groundbreaking book, awardwinning physicist david deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universeand. Steven arthur pinker is a canadianamerican cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author. The method, which involved analyzing human behaviour in an effort to understand how the brain developed through. How the mind works synthesizes the most satisfying explanations of our mental life from cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and other fields to explain what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and contemplate the mysteries of life. Short description of book how the mind works is a 1997 book by canadianamerican cognitive scientist steven pinker, in which the author attempts to explain some of the human minds poorly understood functions and quirks in evolutionary terms buy how the mind works steven pinker pdf. And they are satisfying ones, too, so the huge title how the mind. His popular and highly praised books include the stuff of thought, the blank slate, words and rules, how the mind works, and the language instinct. Steven pinker, canadianborn american psychologist who advocated evolutionary explanations for the functions of the brain and thus for language and behavior. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 1994, and was written by steven pinker.
The method, which involved analyzing human behaviour in an effort to understand how the brain. The collection of genes known as steven pinker made the point most forcibly in how the mind works, where he explained his own decision not to have children which apparently runs counter to the. He is johnstone family professor in the department of psychology at harvard university, and is known for his advocacy of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. He examined two different approaches to studying the mind and offered examples from everyday life to illustrate his ideas. In this book steven pinker, a professor in the d nothing is more fascinating than how we think, why we think that way, and how our thinking affects our actions. Steven pinker is also noted for having identified the rename of phillip morris to altria as an egregious example of phonesthesia, with the company attempting to switch its image from bad people who sell addictive carcinogens to a place or state marked by altruism and other lofty values. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. The first part of the book explains pinker s view on how the mind works. In this book steven pinker, a professor in the department of brain and cognitive science at mit, takes on the general task of explaining the process, and in so doing he finds something to say about almost every propensity of the mind at which a stick could be shaken. This is not a modest title, and how the mind works is not a modest book. Check here and also read some short description about how the mind works by steven pinker pdf book download. Jun 22, 2009 how the mind works ebook written by steven pinker. Jerry fodor claims that the mind doesnt work that way in a book with that title because 1 turing.
Free download or read online how the mind works pdf epub book. Check out the best evolutionary psychology books, the best psychology books, or get the book on amazon. How the mind creates language 1994 aroused considerable attention and shattered many longcherished myths about how children master. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. In this book, steven pinker explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and ponder the mysteries of life. How the mind works is a 1997 book by canadianamerican cognitive scientist steven pinker, in which the author attempts to explain some of the human minds poorly understood functions and quirks in evolutionary terms. How the mind works is a 1997 nonfiction book by steven pinker, who presents his ideas on how the human mind developed and how it produces the feats we take for granted every day, such as talking, walking, and making friends. Free download or read online the language instinct.
Groundbreaking author of the language instinct, the blank slate and how the mind works, steven pinker emerged from the field of cognitive science to be recognised as one of the worlds foremost and radical thinkers. The language instinct 1994, how the mind works 1997, words and rules 2000, the blank slate 2002, and the stuff of thought 2007. In this extraordinary book, steven pinker, one of the worlds leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language. His notable books included the language instinct, how the mind works, and the blank slate.
Pinker is the author of several nonfiction bestsellers including. Buy how the mind works penguin press science new ed by pinker, steven isbn. His popular and highly praised books include the better angels of our nature, the sense of style, the stuff of thought, the blank slate, how the mind works, and the language instinct. The book gives an excellent introduction to cognitive science, which explores the human mind in terms of the composite fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and philosophy. The first edition of the novel was published in 1997, and was written by steven pinker. How the mind works synthesizes the most satisfying explanations of our mental life from cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and other fields to explain what the mind is, how it evolved, and. Steven pinker is a johnstone family professor in the department of psychology at harvard university. How the mind works represents an extension and considerable broadening of the investigation pinker did in preparing the language instinct. How the mind works explains many of the imponderables of everyday life.
Evolutionary psychology is not a new subject to me, but i found pinker s chapter on the arts totally new and intriguing. Apr 22, 2015 steven pinker is one of the worlds leading authorities on language and the mind. See all books authored by steven pinker, including the language instinct. In this extraordinary bestseller, steven pinker, one of the worlds leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, the language instinct. In that book, pinker expounded a scientific method that he termed reverse engineering. He explores computations and evolutions, and then considers how the mind lets us see, think, feel, interact, and pursue higher callings like art. Steven pinker is one of the worlds leading authorities on language and the mind. For lack of a more precise analogy, steven pinker is steven hawking of psychology. How the mind works is a 1997 book by the canadianamerican cognitive scientist steven pinker, in which the author attempts to explain some of the human. The book gives an excellent introduction to cognitive science, which explores the human mind in terms of the composite fields of psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and.
How the mind works steven pinker a model of scientific writing. It seemed foolhardy in 1989 to publish a book with the subtitle the obsolescence of major war, but in this punchy and witfilled book mueller correctly predicted the end of the cold war and the decline of interstate conflict. Does this book really give the answers to these kinds of questions. This book is a work of a pioneer of the highly developing field called evolutionary psychology. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 660 pages and is available in paperback format. T he year 1997 was a big one for steven pinker, a professor of psychology at mit and a celebrated popularizer of science. Pinker is at his best employing a fluent, discursive style with references to popular culture as likely as to scholarly works. How the mind works is a 1997 book by canadianamerican cognitive scientist steven pinker, in which the author attempts to explain some of the human mind s poorly understood functions and quirks in evolutionary terms. It is wideranging, extremely well written, and has an thorough bibliography. And i am twice greateful because it how the mind works also helped me improve my products, for example with steven pinker s intelligent analysis of humor and the use of quips to win debates. Pinker is a cognitive neuroscientist who studies language acquisition in children. How the mind works certainly feels much more solidly founded in science while still maintaining the how sciencefitsintoreallife perspective of a popular science book. In this extraordinary book, steven pinker, one of the worlds leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 bestseller the language instinct.
1136 1245 313 702 718 900 1184 672 1425 1148 660 315 1436 118 113 1363 515 267 846 64 320 318 766 1204 1070 669 661 1156 1222 526 510 343 107 398 529 1068 73 295 705 1239 829 329