Pinker is not under the illusion that many members of his (and my) climate-change tribe are under: that people in our tribe have objectively assessed the evidence, whereas climate change skeptics have for some reason failed to do that. Namely, it shapes and drives some of the cognitive distortions that muddy our thinking about critical issues it warps reason.Ĭonsider, again, climate change. For now the point is that tribal antagonism also poses a subtler challenge to his thesis. I do think this form of antagonism is a bigger problem for Pinker’s thesis than he realizes, but that’s a story for another day. The rule of law does make people living in democracies safer.I’m not talking about the obvious downside of tribal antagonism-the way it leads nations to go to war or dissolve in civil strife, the way it fosters conflict along ethnic or religious lines.

And some of his conclusions are irrefutable. I do not have the expertise to assess the details of the evidence Pinker relies on, but he does cite recognized authorities. The book is not triumphalist but consistently evidence-based. 53-67) developing agricultural methods that are making great strides toward eliminating famine (68-78) increasing per capita income and reducing income inequality (71-120) working on technology and global cooperation to address pressing environmental problems (121-55) decreasing war-related deaths (156-66) increasing safety (167-90) reducing deaths caused by terrorism (191-98) adopting democratic forms of government that promote higher economic growth (200) spreading equal rights (214-32) increasing literacy and the quality of education (247-61) dramatically improving the quality of life (247-61) leading happier lives (262-89) and addressing the existential threats of overpopulation, resource shortages, and the threat of nuclear war (290-321).

There are 17 chapters setting out evidence (illustrated in some 75 charts) that globally humans are living longer healthier lives (pp. Pinker argues that humanism (a reasoned commitment to maximizing human flourishing), science, and democracy have resulted in substantial, measurable human progress over the last 500 years.

Pinker enlightenment