Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

Extended Synopsis

Is the world really falling apart, or is the ideal of progress still alive? In this elegant assessment of the human condition in the third millennium, cognitive scientist and public intellectual Steven Pinker urges us to step back from gory headlines and prophecies of doom that play to our psychological biases. Instead, he presents a deeply researched case built on data. Through seventy-five jaw-dropping graphs, Pinker demonstrates that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise worldwide. He argues that this global progress is a direct gift of the Enlightenment: the conviction that reason and science can enhance human flourishing. Far from being a naïve hope, the Enlightenment project has actively worked, though it now requires a vigorous defense against currents of human nature—such as tribalism, authoritarianism, and magical thinking. With intellectual depth and literary flair, Enlightenment Now makes an impassioned case for the ideals we need to confront our modern problems and continue our upward trajectory.

Target Audience & Reader Targeting

An essential volume for students, academic researchers, and general readers interested in cognitive science, philosophy, history, and sociology. This book directly targets individuals seeking empirical, data-driven perspectives on global progress, humanism, and the enduring relevance of Enlightenment ideals in contemporary society.

Author Biography

Steven Pinker is an internationally renowned cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author. He serves as the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. A prominent public intellectual, Pinker has written extensively on language, the mind, and human nature. His highly influential works include The Better Angels of Our Nature, Rationality, and The Blank Slate. He is a frequent contributor to major publications and has received numerous awards for his research and his dedication to the public understanding of science.

Accolades & Awards

• Instant New York Times Bestseller.
• Selected as a New York Times Notable Book of 2018.
• Named one of The Economist's Books of the Year.
• Famously praised by Bill Gates, who stated, "My new favorite book of all time."

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