The Blank Slate

Pinker’s argument against three doctrines he calls the Blank Slate, the Noble Savage and the Ghost in the Machine — that the mind arrives without content, that people are naturally good, and that choice is made by something other than the brain.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the replies to @SpencrGreenberg asking what non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world really works — a crowd-sourced list Kyle recovered by hand and saved. Kyle’s line notes it was listed more than once.

Where I saw it: In the replies to @SpencrGreenberg asking “What non-fiction book taught you the most about how the world (or how humanity or society) really works?” (June 5, 2025). Kyle recovered the reply list by hand and saved it to his “Books To Read” Apple Note; the full transcribed list lives on A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet).

Connections

• A question for you — What non-fiction… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Steven Pinker — the author.
• People Over Politics — the portfolio idea this sits closest to.