The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature
The case for acknowledging evolved human nature
"The mind is not a blank slate, but it is not a slave to the genes either."
— Steven Pinker
My Review
Pinker's defense of human nature against blank-slate thinking provides the scientific foundation for understanding why people behave as they do. Nature isn't infinitely malleable - it has patterns that strategies must work with.
Why It Matters
Effective strategy must account for human nature as it is, not as we wish it to be. Pinker provides the scientific foundation for realistic expectations.
Key Ideas
- Human nature exists and is partly innate
- The blank slate, noble savage, and ghost in the machine are myths
- Acknowledging nature doesn't mean accepting determinism
- Evolution shapes behavioral tendencies across cultures
How It Connects to This Framework
The biological basis for human behavior that underlies the entire framework.
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