A History of Violence - Edge Master Class 2011 with Steven Pinker

Very cool - Steven Pinker's new book is The Better Angels Of Our Nature: How Violence Has Declined (forthcoming, October 6th). This is Pinker's contribution to this year's Edge Master Class 2011: The Science of Human Nature.

A History of Violence
Edge Master Class 2011

Steven Pinker [9.27.11] 

photo credit: Max Gerber

What may be the most important thing that has ever happened in human history is that violence has gone down, by dramatic degrees, and in many dimensions all over the world and in many spheres of behavior: genocide, war, human sacrifice, torture, slavery, and the treatment of racial minorities, women, children, and animals.

STEVIN PINKER is a Harvard College Professor and Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology; Harvard University. Author, The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, and The Better Angels Of Our Nature: How Violence Has Declined  (forthcoming, October 6th).

Steven Pinker's Edge Bio Page

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In July, Edge held its annual Master Class in Napa, California on the theme: "The Science of Human Nature".  In the six week period that began September 12th, we are publishing the complete video, audio, and texts:  Princeton psychologist Daniel Kahneman on the marvels and the flaws of intuitive thinking; Harvard mathematical biologist Martin Nowak on the evolution of cooperation; Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker on the history of violence; UC-Santa Barbara evolutionary psychologist Leda Cosmides on the architecture of motivation; UC-Santa Barbara neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga on neuroscience and the law; and Princeton religious historian Elaine Pagels on The Book of Revelations.

For publication schedule and details, go to Edge Master Class 2011: The Science of Human Nature.

You can read the transcript of his talk at the Edge site.