Steven Pinker: Human nature and the blank slate

Summary

In this thought-provoking talk, the speaker discusses the controversial ideas presented in their book 'The Blank Slate,' which challenges the notion that the human mind is a blank slate shaped solely by environment. They provide evidence from anthropology, genetics, and neuroscience that humans have innate tendencies and structures, contrary to the popular 20th-century belief. The speaker also addresses the political implications of the blank slate theory and its impact on views of equality and social engineering. Furthermore, they explore the decline of traditional arts and the influence of the denial of human nature on modern art and parenting advice, suggesting that recognizing and understanding human nature can lead to betterment.

Takeaways

• 📚 The book 'The Blank Slate' challenges the idea that the human mind is a blank slate shaped entirely by socialization, culture, parenting, and experience.
• 🧬 Scientific studies, including anthropology and neuroscience, suggest that humans are born with certain innate structures and predispositions, contradicting the blank slate theory.
• 👶 Children exhibit individual temperaments and talents from birth, indicating that not all traits are solely a result of external influences.
• 🐾 Comparisons between children and pets illustrate the innate differences in language acquisition, suggesting an inborn capacity for language in humans.
• 🚹🚺 There are inherent differences in the minds of men and women, which are not solely due to social conditioning.
• 🎨 Artistic expression is a human universal, found across all cultures, suggesting an innate component to art.
• 📉 The perceived decline in the arts is not reflective of the overall state of the arts, which are actually flourishing in new forms and media.
• 📉 The decline in certain elite arts and humanities is attributed to a shift away from traditional aesthetics and towards more abstract and less accessible forms of expression.
• 🧐 Parenting advice is often based on studies that do not control for heritability, leading to potentially misleading conclusions about the impact of parenting on child development.
• 🧬 Genetic studies show that family environment has less impact on long-term personality and intellect than previously thought, with genes and peer culture playing significant roles.
• 🚫 The denial of human nature has led to a reluctance to explore certain scientific facts about human beings, which could be detrimental to our understanding and betterment of society.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the book 'The Blank Slate'?

The main theme of 'The Blank Slate' is challenging the idea that the human mind is a blank slate at birth, shaped entirely by socialization, culture, parenting, and experience, and exploring the evidence that suggests innate human characteristics and universals.

What are some of the quotes provided in the script that illustrate the 'blank slate' concept?

The script mentions quotes from Jose Ortega y Gasset stating 'Man has no nature,' Ashley Montagu saying 'Man has no instincts,' and Stephen Jay Gould claiming 'The human brain is capable of a full range of behaviors and predisposed to none.'

Why do some people doubt the 'blank slate' theory?

People doubt the 'blank slate' theory for several reasons, including common sense observations such as children having different temperaments and talents from birth, pets not acquiring human language despite exposure, and inherent differences in the minds of men and women.

What is an example of scientific evidence that humans are not born as blank slates?

One example of scientific evidence is the study of human universals, which shows a rich set of behaviors and emotions common to all of the world's cultures, suggesting innate human characteristics.

What does the study by Paul Thompson and colleagues demonstrate about the human brain?

The study by Paul Thompson and colleagues used MRI to measure the distribution of gray matter in the cortex of people, showing significant correlations in brain structure between individuals who share DNA, suggesting an innate structural basis for the brain.

What is the significance of the Mallifert twins example in the script?

The Mallifert twins example illustrates the concept of identical twins having astonishing similarities despite being separated at birth and raised in different environments, suggesting a strong genetic influence on behavior and personality.

Why has the 'blank slate' idea been politically appealing?

The 'blank slate' idea has been politically appealing because it implies that all humans are equal since they start with the same 'blank slate.' This notion has been used to justify social engineering and the belief in the perfectibility of mankind, as well as to argue against discrimination and inequality.

What does the speaker argue in 'The Blank Slate' about the relationship between fairness and sameness?

The speaker argues that fairness and sameness are not the same concepts. Equality in rights does not mean that all people are clones or identical in abilities or characteristics.

What are some of the controversial topics discussed in 'The Blank Slate'?

Some of the controversial topics discussed in 'The Blank Slate' include the arts, cloning, crime, free will, education, evolution, gender differences, God, homosexuality, infanticide, inequality, Marxism, morality, Nazism, parenting, politics, race, rape, religion, resource depletion, social engineering, technological risk, and war.

What was the reaction to the author's claim about the decline of the arts in the 20th century?

The author claimed that the arts are not in decline but are flourishing more than ever, with new art forms and increased demand. However, this claim was controversial, especially regarding elite art, criticism, and the perceived decline in the humanities and arts programs in universities.

What does the speaker suggest about the impact of parenting on children's development?

The speaker suggests that most studies on parenting are flawed because they don't control for heritability. Genetically controlled studies indicate that children's personalities and intellects are not significantly shaped by their parents in the long run, but rather by their genes, the broader culture, their peer group, and chance events.

What is the speaker's view on exploring the sciences of human nature?

The speaker believes that the sciences of human nature should be explored honestly, rather than being considered taboo. They argue that understanding human nature can lead to improvement, as suggested by Anton Chekhov's quote, 'Man will become better when you show him what he is like.'