The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial Of Human Nature May 2026

The fear that we aren't responsible for our actions. The Reality of Human Nature

The romanticized notion that humans are naturally selfless and peaceful, and that greed or violence are purely "corruptions" of society. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

Pinker identifies three entrenched ideas that dominate modern intellectual life, which he seeks to dismantle: The fear that we aren't responsible for our actions

The fear that biological differences justify discrimination. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

The idea that the "soul" or "will" exists entirely separate from the biological functions of the brain. Why the Denial?