Vanessa Van Edwards
Behavioral Researcher & Founder of Science of People | Bestselling Author of Captivate, Cues, and Conversation | Expert on Charisma, Communication & Human Behavior
Steven Pinker
One of the world's Top Public Intellectuals; Author of Rationality: what it is, why it seems scarce, why it matters and Enlightenment now; Harvard Professor
Steven Pinker asks the big questions about human progress and sets out, in public, to answer them. In Rationality, he explores why—when humanity is reaching new heights of scientific reasoning—there appears to be more fake news, conspiracy theorizing, and medical quackery than ever before. Rejecting the cynicism that humans are inherently irrational, Pinker offers an insightful, hopeful analysis of what rationality really is, why it can feel like it’s scarce, and how we can use it to drive better choices in our personal lives and in the public sphere.
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Steven Pinker biography
A provocative speaker, much in demand, Steven Pinker is a cognitive scientist who has been named by TIME as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. His keynotes have helped millions demystify the science behind human language, thought, and action. Pinker is a Harvard professor, a TED speaker, and a bestselling author, twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Highly respected in the scientific community, his work and opinions are extensively covered in the mainstream media, and have won a wide general audience. In his latest book, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, Pinker argues that we fail to take advantage of the most powerful tools of reasoning discovered by some of our best thinkers: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation. These tools are not a standard part of our educational curricula, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book—until now. Recently named one of Amazon’s best science books of the year, Rationality is an enriching, inspiring, and captivating new read on how to harness rationality to improve our personal lives and advance social progress.
In his earlier book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress Pinker argued that, despite fear-mongering and political upheaval, the world is getting better: peace, prosperity, knowledge and happiness are on the rise. “The world is getting better, even if it doesn’t always feel that way,” wrote Bill Gates, in a review of the book. “I’m glad we have brilliant thinkers like Steven Pinker to help us see the big picture. Enlightenment Now is not only the best book Pinker’s ever written. It’s my new favorite book of all time.” The New York Times included the book in its year-end list of 100 Notable Books, and NPR and Esquire both named it as one of the best books of the year. Enlightenment Now was the follow-up to The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Had Declined, which was a #1 Amazon bestseller. Keynotes based on that book inspired audiences worldwide with its core message that, if you look at the facts, we are living in the most peaceful human era ever. The talks pointed the way to a better future for humankind.
Pinker’s other bestselling books include The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature (“Required reading.” – Los Angeles Times) and How The Mind Works (“A model of scientific writing: erudite, witty, and clear.” – New York Review of Books). Pinker’s acclaimed “language” series includes The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language, Words and Rules, The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature, as well as The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century.
A native of Montreal, Steven Pinker is Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. Previously, he taught at Stanford and at MIT. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has won a number of teaching prizes, and his research on visual cognition and the psychology of language has received numerous awards, including the Troland Award from the National Academy of Sciences.
Steven Pinker Speaking Videos
Steven Pinker - Is the world getting better or worse? A look at the numbers
Prof. Steven Pinker & Sadhguru - Is Consciousness a Miracle?
Steven Pinker Keynote Topics
We constantly think about what others think—and what they think about us. This shared awareness, known as “common knowledge,” is the glue that holds societies together. In this talk, Steven Pinker explains how common knowledge enables cooperation, from driving on the same side of the road to sustaining trust and friendship. He shows how it also sheds light on larger puzzles: financial bubbles, sudden political revolutions, and the explosive dynamics of online shaming. With examples that range from voting behavior to everyday etiquette, Pinker reveals why some of our quirks—like hoarding toilet paper in a crisis or preferring the candidate we think others prefer—make sense once viewed through the lens of common knowledge.
Drawing from his bestselling book Enlightenment Now, Steven Pinker makes the case for optimism in a world often dominated by pessimistic headlines. He shows how data on health, prosperity, safety, peace, and knowledge reveal long-term progress driven by reason, science, and humanism. This presentation encourages audiences to look beyond daily crises and recognize the deeper forces of improvement that continue to shape the human condition—and why defending Enlightenment values is more urgent than ever.
In The Better Angels of Our Nature, Pinker documented a counterintuitive but well-supported trend: violence has declined dramatically over human history. In this talk, he explains the cultural, political, and psychological shifts that made this possible—from the rise of states and commerce to the spread of literacy and empathy. By tracing how humanity curbed its most destructive impulses, Pinker offers practical insights into how today’s societies can continue to reduce conflict and foster peace.
In his book Rationality, Pinker tackles a paradox: humans are capable of extraordinary reasoning, yet we often fall prey to irrational beliefs and decisions. This presentation explores why that happens, how biases and heuristics shape our choices, and what tools—from logic to probability to critical thinking—can help us do better. Pinker shows how rationality is not just an academic exercise but a practical skill for leaders, organizations, and citizens navigating complex challenges.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Steven Pinker
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