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The Blank Slate
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Symbols & Motifs
The Blank Slate
The Blank Slate appears often as a motif in Pinker’s work to stand for the idea that we are born without any kind of innate instinct, intuition, or human nature. The theory of the Blank Slate connects to the 17th and 18th century philosophy of empiricism, which believes that all human knowledge comes directly from our experiences and from interacting with the world with our senses. Using metaphors from computer science, Pinker argues against the Blank Slate and empiricism, claiming that cognitive science shows we come with pre-loaded systems that inform functions related to thinking, emotions, and our sense of right and wrong. Pinker believes the Blank Slate is a convenient idea for people trying to promote equality, but it is ultimately a fallacy.
The Ghost in the Machine
The Ghost in the Machine is the idea that humans have a soul that is not physical. This echoes principles of Cartesian dualism, which regards reality in terms of two distinct principles: the mind and matter. This has long been a principle of western philosophies and religions, and it remains a cherished idea among some groups because it endows human life with a sense of higher purpose, perfectibility, and morality. Pinker argues that the Ghost in the Machine is also a fallacy and that the mind is matter, a part of the body. For Pinker, disproving the fallacy of the Ghost in the Machine is not an endorsement of nihilism or meaninglessness. He believes that understanding our biological drives and universal human natures can help us work towards a more just society and live rich and meaningful lives.
The Noble Savage
The phrase “noble savage” originated the work of poet John Dryden, but it is now usually attributed to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In using the term, Rousseau proposed the idea that humanity’s cruelty and aggressiveness is not innate but is the product of civilization. Rousseau wrote: “So many authors have hastily concluded that man is naturally cruel, and requires a regular system of police to be maintained; whereas nothing can be more gentle than him in his primitive state.” For Rousseau, there existed a “state of nature,” in which humans could live in harmony with one other. In fact, writes Rousseau, this state of nature is so ideal that the only explanation for civilization is that it was “some fatal accident, which, for the public good, should never have happened” (7).
A Moral Circle
Pinker writes about how people have continuously expanded their circle of moral concern throughout history. This circle refers to the people we treat as humans worthy of the same treatment as ourselves. Initially, people only extended their circle of concern to their immediate families, their tribes, or others in their immediate vicinity. Gradually, people began to expand this circle, propelling social movements such as the abolition of slavery and the signing of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The expanding moral circle is one of the ways Pinker suggests that a deeper understanding of naturally occurring differences between people should not and will not result in the negative outcomes—including discrimination, sterilization, and eugenics—feared by critics.
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By Steven Pinker
