Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, linguist, and popular science author. Born on September 18, 1954, in Montreal, Quebec, Pinker is well-known for his advocacy of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. His academic work has largely focused on visual cognition and psycholinguistics, studying how children acquire language and the psychology of language use. Pinker has authored several influential books, including “The Language Instinct” (1994) and “How the Mind Works” (1997), which explore the intricacies of language, mind, and human nature. More recently, his books “The Better Angels of Our Nature” (2011) and “Enlightenment Now” (2018) argue that human progress is a demonstrable fact and that Enlightenment principles have led to considerable improvements in human well-being. Pinker’s writings are noted for their accessibility, bringing complex scientific concepts to a general audience with clarity and humor.
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