Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker is a prominent Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, popular science author, and public intellectual.2 He currently holds the position of Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, a role he has occupied since August 2003.13

Academic Background

Pinker earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from McGill University in 1976. He then pursued his doctoral studies at Harvard University, obtaining a PhD in Experimental Psychology in 1979.23

Career Highlights

Throughout his career, Pinker has held several prestigious positions:

• Professor at MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (1982-2003)
• Director of the McDonnell-Pew Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at MIT (1994-1999)
• Peter de Florez Professor at MIT (2000-2003)
• Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University (2003-present)3

Research Interests

Pinker's research spans various aspects of language, mind, and human nature. His work focuses on:

• Visual cognition
• Psycholinguistics
• Language acquisition
• Developmental linguistics
• The psychology of cooperation and communication
• Historical trends in violence
• Rationality124

Publications and Achievements

Pinker is a prolific author, having written ten books for general audiences, including:

• "The Language Instinct"
• "How the Mind Works"
• "The Blank Slate"
• "The Better Angels of Our Nature"
• "Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress"1

His contributions to the field have earned him numerous awards and honors, including:

• The William James Fellow Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association for Psychological Science
• The Carl Sagan Award from the Carnegie-Mellon Humanism Initiative
• Eight honorary doctorates34

Pinker is also a frequent contributor to publications such as The New York Times, Time, and The Atlantic.1 His work has led to his recognition as one of Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World Today".4