The Blank Slate
Created | Updated Jun 24, 2005
Book Review: (part of the Popular Science Book Project - A4166336)
The Blank Slate - Stephen Pinker
If you are a fervent believer in the Blank Slate principle of human cognition - that we all start off equal and end up as a pure product of nurture, rather than nature, you should probably read this book, even if you probably won't. If, however, you are actually interested in examining the strength of argument against a nurture-only philosophy( however comforting or politically expedient such a philosophy may be), it's a must-read.
Whilst understanding perfectly well *why* some people remain committed to Blank Slate and Noble Savage ideas of human development for political reasons (especially the *apparent* support the ideas give to ideals of equality), or for reasons of pure social science dogma, the author doesn't pull his punches when examining the [lack of] scientific justification for them.
Whilst there may have been some understandable justification for a Blank Slate in people trying to move themselves and the rest of society away from a rigid hierarchical (sexist, racist, and/or xenophobic) view of human ability, it would seem that in some quarters the idea has become almost a sacred one, immune to any kind of argument, and scornful of evidence to the contrary, even to the point of accusing the most reasoned critics of extremist and dangerous thinking.
It is shown that a common linkage in the minds of extreme Blank-Slaters between theories involving genetics to a significant extent in explaining human nature and all kinds of unpleasantness, up to and including Nazism, is no more valid than linking pure-nurture theories to the similar evils resulting in regimes where the malleability of humans was used as one of the justification for atrocities.
A wide-ranging analysis of human nature, and the similarities and differences between people, this book doesn't propose that there is *no* role for the environment to shape people, but does provide a deal of evidence to suggest that environment may not be the majority influence, and certainly isn't an overwhelming force which can sweep nature aside.
It is certainly acknowledged that society has a role to play in modifying the behaviour of people, but that that influence is best informed by understanding what people naturally are, not what we would wish them to be.
The Blank Slate - Stephen Pinker
If you are a fervent believer in the Blank Slate principle of human cognition - that we all start off equal and end up as a pure product of nurture, rather than nature, you should probably read this book, even if you probably won't. If, however, you are actually interested in examining the strength of argument against a nurture-only philosophy( however comforting or politically expedient such a philosophy may be), it's a must-read.
Whilst understanding perfectly well *why* some people remain committed to Blank Slate and Noble Savage ideas of human development for political reasons (especially the *apparent* support the ideas give to ideals of equality), or for reasons of pure social science dogma, the author doesn't pull his punches when examining the [lack of] scientific justification for them.
Whilst there may have been some understandable justification for a Blank Slate in people trying to move themselves and the rest of society away from a rigid hierarchical (sexist, racist, and/or xenophobic) view of human ability, it would seem that in some quarters the idea has become almost a sacred one, immune to any kind of argument, and scornful of evidence to the contrary, even to the point of accusing the most reasoned critics of extremist and dangerous thinking.
It is shown that a common linkage in the minds of extreme Blank-Slaters between theories involving genetics to a significant extent in explaining human nature and all kinds of unpleasantness, up to and including Nazism, is no more valid than linking pure-nurture theories to the similar evils resulting in regimes where the malleability of humans was used as one of the justification for atrocities.
A wide-ranging analysis of human nature, and the similarities and differences between people, this book doesn't propose that there is *no* role for the environment to shape people, but does provide a deal of evidence to suggest that environment may not be the majority influence, and certainly isn't an overwhelming force which can sweep nature aside.
It is certainly acknowledged that society has a role to play in modifying the behaviour of people, but that that influence is best informed by understanding what people naturally are, not what we would wish them to be.
