Recommendations based on The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Natureby Steven Pinker

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. How the Mind Works

    by Steven Pinker
    Exploration of the human mind, understanding the elements that make us think and act.

    In this extraordinary bestseller, Steven Pinker, one of the world's leading cognitive scientists, does for the rest of the mind what he did for language in his 1994 book, The Language Instinct . He ... (Goodreads)

  2. Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life

    by Daniel C. Dennett
    An exploration of the implications of Darwin's theory of evolution, and how it has shaped our understanding of life and the universe.

    In a book that is both groundbreaking and accessible, Daniel C. Dennett, whom Chet Raymo of The Boston Globe calls "one of the most provocative thinkers on the planet," focuses his unerringly logical ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined

    by Steven Pinker
    Investigation into the causes of violence and the reasons why it has decreased in modern society.

    Believe it or not, today we may be living in the most peaceful moment in our species' existence. In his gripping and controversial new work, New York Times bestselling author Steven Pinker shows that ... (Goodreads)

  4. Thinking, Fast and Slow

    by Daniel Kahneman
    An exploration of the two systems of the mind, and how they influence decision-making.

    In the highly anticipated Thinking, Fast and Slow , Kahneman takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. System 1 is fast, intuitive, and ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design

    by Richard Dawkins
    A detailed exploration of the evidence for evolution, and its implications for our understanding of the world.

    ***30th Anniversary Edition*** Cover note: Each copy of the anniversary edition of, The Blind Watchmaker, features a unique biomorph. No two covers are exactly alike. Acclaimed as the most ... (Goodreads)

  6. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

    by Jared Diamond
    Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.

    "Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language

    by Steven Pinker
    An exploration of the origins and development of human language and its implications for cognitive science.

    The classic book on the development of human language by the world’s leading expert on language and the mind. In this classic, the world's expert on language and mind lucidly explains everything you ... (Goodreads)

  8. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

    by Jonathan Haidt
    Drawing on philosophy, religion, and science, a guide to finding greater satisfaction in life.

    In his widely praised book, award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt examines the world’s philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science, showing how a deeper understanding of ... (Goodreads)

  9. The God Delusion

    by Richard Dawkins
    Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.

    A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

    by Brian Greene
    An exploration of space and time in the physical world, looking at the fundamental laws of the universe.

    From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists and author the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe , comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

    by Jonathan Haidt
    Exploring the underlying moral foundations of political and religious beliefs and how they shape our views.

    An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780307377906 can be found, here., Why can’t our political leaders work together as threats loom and problems mount? Why do people so readily assume the worst about ... (Goodreads)

  12. Chaos: Making a New Science

    by James Gleick
    Investigation of complex systems and the impact of chaos on scientific understanding.

    A work of popular science in the tradition of Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan, this 20th-anniversary edition of James Gleick’s groundbreaking bestseller Chaos introduces a whole new readership to ... (Goodreads)

  13. Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind

    by V.S. Ramachandran
    An exploration of the human brain, examining its functions and mysteries.

    Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran is internationally renowned for uncovering answers to the deep and quirky questions of human nature that few scientists have dared to address. His bold insights about ... (Goodreads)

  14. Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow

    by Yuval Noah Harari
    An exploration of humanity's future, and the potential paths of our species.

    Yuval Noah Harari, author of the critically-acclaimed, New York Times, bestseller and international phenomenon, Sapiens, returns with an equally original, compelling, and provocative book, turning ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution

    by Richard Dawkins
    A journey through the history of life on Earth, tracing the emergence of species.

    The renowned biologist and thinker Richard Dawkins presents his most expansive work yet: a comprehensive look at evolution, ranging from the latest developments in the field to his own provocative ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon

    by Daniel C. Dennett
    Examines the origins of religious belief, exploring how it has shaped society.

    An innovative thinker tackles the controversial question of why we believe in God and how religion shapes our lives and our future. For a growing number of people, there is nothing more important ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature

    by Matt Ridley
    Examines how evolutionary biology shapes human behavior and sexuality.

    Referring to Lewis Carroll's Red Queen from Through the Looking-Glass , a character who has to keep running to stay in the same place, Matt Ridley demonstrates why sex is humanity's best strategy for ... (Goodreads)

  18. Why Evolution Is True

    by Jerry A. Coyne
    Comprehensive exploration of the evidence for evolutionary biology.

    Why evolution is more than just a theory: it is a fact. In all the current highly publicized debates about creationism and its descendant "intelligent design," there is an element of the controversy ... (Goodreads)

  19. Cosmos

    by Carl Sagan
    Voyage through the vastness of space, unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

    Cosmos has 13 heavily illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos television series. In the book, Sagan explores 15 billion years of cosmic evolution and the development of ... (Goodreads)

  20. Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest & Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics

    by Henry Hazlitt
    Exploring the principles of economics, helping readers gain a better understanding of the subject.

    A million copy seller, Henry Hazlitt’s Economics in One Lesson is a classic economic primer. But it is also much more, having become a fundamental influence on modern “libertarian” economics of the ... (Goodreads)

  21. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything

    by Christopher Hitchens
    Criticism of organized religion, arguing it is the root of much suffering in the world.

    With his unique brand of erudition and wit, Hitchens describes the ways in which religion is man-made. "God did not make us," he says. "We made God." He explains the ways in which religion is ... (Goodreads)

  22. Letter to a Christian Nation

    by Sam Harris
    A refutation of religious dogma and an argument for the supremacy of reason.

    In response to The End of Faith , Sam Harris received thousands of letters from Christians excoriating him for not believing in God. Letter to A Christian Nation is his reply. Using rational ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

    by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    A study of the role of randomness in life, and how it can lead to unexpected events.

    A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear ... (Goodreads)

  24. Free Will

    by Sam Harris
    An exploration of the implications of determinism, examining the role of free will in our lives.

    Belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of ... (Goodreads)

  25. Fermat's Enigma

    by Simon Singh
    Uncovering the centuries-old mathematical mystery of Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem.

    xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5, ...no solution "I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain." With these words, the ... (Goodreads)

  26. The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

    by Sam Harris
    An exploration of religion, its implications for our world and how it can be replaced with reason.

    In The End of Faith , Sam Harris delivers a startling analysis of the clash between reason and religion in the modern world. He offers a vivid, historical tour of our willingness to suspend reason in ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Elements of Style

    by William Strunk Jr.
    A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.

    This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)

  28. An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales

    by Oliver Sacks
    Study of human behavior, exploring the complexities of neurological conditions.

    Paradoxical portraits of seven neurological patients, including a surgeon consumed by the compulsive tics of Tourette's syndrome unless he is operating; an artist who loses all sense of color in a ... (Goodreads)

  29. A Short History of Nearly Everything

    by Bill Bryson
    A captivating overview of the natural sciences, spanning the history of the universe.

    In Bryson's biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory ... (Goodreads)

  30. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)