The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

"A passionate defence of the enduring power of human nature ... both life-affirming and deeply satisfying"
— Daily Telegraph

Recently, many people have assumed that we are blank slates shaped entirely by our environment. But this view denies the heart of our being: human nature.

Key Insights from the Book:

• Violence is not just a product of society.
• Male and female minds are different.
• The genes we pass on to our children shape them more than our parenting practices.

To acknowledge our innate abilities, as Pinker demonstrates, is not to condone inequality but to understand the very foundations of humanity.

"Brilliant ... enjoyable, informative, clear, humane"
— New Scientist

"If you think the nature-nurture debate has been resolved, you are wrong ... this book is required reading"
— Literary 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 long"
— Economist