The Blank Slate

A passionate defence of the enduring power of human nature ... both life-affirming and deeply satisfyingDaily Telegraph

Recently many people have assumed that we are blank slates shaped by our environment. But this denies the heart of our being: human nature. Violence is not just a product of society; male and female minds are different; the genes we give our children shape them more than our parenting practices. To acknowledge our innate abilities, Pinker shows, is not to condone inequality, but to understand the very foundations of humanity.

Brilliant ... enjoyable, informative, clear, humaneNew Scientist

If you think the nature-nurture debate has been resolved, you are wrong ... this book is required readingLiterary Review

An original and vital contribution to science and also a rattling good read Matt Ridley, Sunday Telegraph

Startling ... This is a breath of air for a topic that has been politicized for too longEconomist