The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature @ richardeward.com

The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature
by Steven Pinker
from Viking Adult

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Unfortunately misguided amid amusing anecdotes
  It was my intention to mark the book for at least three stars, because of its many entertaining jokes, cartoons, quotations and linguistic quirks, whatever my estimation of the rest of the content. But on reaching chapter 7 on obscenities, I couldn't make myself mark a third star. Perhaps I haven't read much of recent concerned literature in finding the chapter surprising, but I definitely reject the author's thinking there is nothing wrong with his flagrant use of "taboo" language.
  The author reasons... more info

• Insight through language
  In his recent book, "The Stuff of Thought", author Steven Pinker makes a compelling case for hypocrisy being a vital habit in human conversation. His chapter "Games People Play" argues that hypocrisy furnishes us with a means to ease our ways through conversations in which we face potentially awkward or risk-filled circumstances. He therefore argues that hypocrisy is a necessary value in the evolution of the human species. As a professor of Linguistics and Psychology at Harvard, and the author of six... more info

• Interesting and Thought Provoking
  Well. This is tougher review than I assumed it would be while I anxiously awaited its arrival.
  The first three chapters are an entertaining overview of the English language with special mention of the strange quirks and "hidden -- or are they?" intricacies. He starts out with a lawsuit based on words(what else?) to determine the amount of money an insurance company should pay for damages which occurred on 9/11. (Do they pay "double" because each tower was a separate incident ... or do they pay the... more info

• Clever
  Pinker iis brilliant and is trying to bring psychology into the realm of hard science. Better to read his HOW THE MIND WORKS.

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