Today I would like to recommend two books at once by the Canadian scientist specialising in evolutionary psychology and the role of speech in the development of mind and consciousness, populariser of science Steven Pinker: “Enlightenment Continues: In Defence of Reason, Science, Enlightenment and Progress” and “A Clean Slate.”
“Enlightenment” takes an unusually positive view of the evolution of humanity as a species and of society as a whole. I think it’s worth reading it now as a counterbalance to the current globally negative news background.
Meanwhile, I’ve been reading Enlightenment paired with his own The Clean Slate, in which Pinker explores the flaws and sometimes outright toxicity of human nature quite critically.
Both books I can and want to recommend, and if there is an opportunity to read in parallel, it is in a pair, as I read them. At moments when it became quite sad from “Clean Sheet” you switch to “Enlightenment Continues” for 20-30 pages, and then optimism grows, after which you return to the cooling scepticism of “The Sheet”. At the same time, one gets a fairly comprehensive picture of human nature, our motivators and passions. There is much to think about.