Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

Choose an Enlightenment thinker whom Pinker credits with changing society. What contributions did this person make to the Enlightenment, and which aspect of our society did the person’s work most influence?

Why is reason the “foremost” value that the Enlightenment championed? How does Pinker portray pre-Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment Europe in terms of people’s ability to solve issues using reason? Cite examples from the text in your response.

How does Pinker use graphs and statistics to support his argument? Choose a graph and explain how Pinker uses it as a tool of persuasion.