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The Blank Slate

The Blank Slate

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The Blank Slate: : The Modern Denial of Human Nature

by Pinker, Steven

  • Used
Condition
Book VG+: touch of shelf wear to outer edge of text block, else clean, unmarked, tight./DJ VG: crease front cover, mild shelf wear, not clipped
ISBN 10
0670031518
ISBN 13
9780670031511
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Seller rating:
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About This Item

New York: Viking Press, 2002. hardcover. Book VG+: touch of shelf wear to outer edge of text block, else clean, unmarked, tight./DJ VG: crease front cover, mild shelf wear, not clipped. 8vo 509pp. from front flap: "In The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker [. . .] explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. He shows how many intellectuals have denied the existence of human nature by embracing three linked dogmas: the Blank Slate (the mind has no innate traits), the Noble Savage (people are born good and corrupted by society), and the Ghost in the Machine (each of us has a soul that makes choices free from biology). Each dogma carries a moral burden, so their defenders have engaged in desperate tactics to discredit the scientists who are now challenging them." #01934.

Synopsis

In The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading experts on language and the mind, explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. With characteristic wit, lucidity, and insight, Pinker argues that the dogma that the mind has no innate traits-a doctrine held by many intellectuals during the past century-denies our common humanity and our individual preferences, replaces objective analyses of social problems with feel-good slogans, and distorts our understanding of politics, violence, parenting, and the arts. Injecting calm and rationality into debates that are notorious for ax-grinding and mud-slinging, Pinker shows the importance of an honest acknowledgment of human nature based on science and common sense.

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Details

Bookseller
Matthew's Books LLC US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
1872
Title
The Blank Slate
Author
Pinker, Steven
Format/Binding
Hardcover
Book Condition
Used - Book VG+: touch of shelf wear to outer edge of text block, else clean, unmarked, tight.
Jacket Condition
DJ VG: crease front cover, mild shelf wear, not clipped
Quantity Available
1
ISBN 10
0670031518
ISBN 13
9780670031511
Publisher
Viking Press
Place of Publication
New York
Date Published
2002
Keywords
human nature, language, nonfiction, philosophy of mind, philosophy, science,

Terms of Sale

Matthew's Books LLC

All books are described as accurately as possible, with almost all including pictures to assess condition. 30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.

About the Seller

Matthew's Books LLC

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2023
Chattanooga, Tennessee

About Matthew's Books LLC

small online used bookstore based in Chattanooga, TN. Little bit of everything, but lots of modern first editions.

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Shelf Wear
Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
Text Block
Most simply the inside pages of a book. More precisely, the block of paper formed by the cut and stacked pages of a book....
Tight
Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.

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