Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters

Pinker, Steven

ISBN 10: 0241380278 / ISBN 13: 9780241380277

Published by Allen Lane, 2021

About this Item

Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned. No dust jacket.

Seller Inventory # rev4548498993

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters
• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication Date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0241380278
• ISBN 13: 9780241380277
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Good
• Weight: 670 grams

About this title

Synopsis

In Rationality, Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply an irrational species - cavemen out of time fatally cursed with biases, fallacies and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives and set the benchmarks for rationality itself. Instead, he explains, we think in ways that suit the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we have built up over millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, causal inference, and decision-making under uncertainty. These tools are not a standard part of our educational curricula, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book - until now.

Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with insight and humour, Rationality will enlighten, inspire and empower.