Steven Pinker: “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters”

Steven Pinker, FFRF’s honorary president, is a cognitive scientist, experimental psychologist, linguist and popular science author. He is a Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University, and is known for his advocacy of evolutionary psychology and the computational theory of mind. Pinker gave a talk about “Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters” at FFRF's National Convention in Boston.
Learn more about the Freedom From Religion Foundation at ffrf.org.

[@hadara69]

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[@92RedRevolver]

Seneca's such a dude, a better CBT therapist than any I've met.

[@PopArtificer]

Stellar lecture as always. The people that sees this already knows about it. The people that needs to see this never will.

[@nefaristo]

Steven Pinker is at 3:20

[@hadara69]

"It is not the aim of science to open a door to infinite wisdom, but to set a limit to infinite error." -Bertold Brecht

[@JeffBedrick]

He has the unique ability to deliver controversial information in a light-hearted, matter of fact, non-confrontational way. While irrationality is usually a liability, it persists because it paradoxically offers perceived benefits to those predisposed to it.

[@jeanettecook1088]

I've found in my 66 years of life, that most people believe their confirmation biases, and that they are emotional thinkers. Approaching such persons with rationality as a method tends to cause great distress. Very few schools teach logic, and yet it is fundamental to being rational.

[@oldschoolman1444]

So true! Challenging their beliefs is quite unsettling for them.

[@SweSuf]

Excellent, and such a refresher after having followed the current events and crises in the USA and the UK...

[@SomeFinnishGuyJukka]

"Rationality: the use of knowledge to attain goals" - Steven Pinker

[@sydnar347]

The audio has glitches

[@sydnar347]

Sorry, it was my phone

[@christopherhamilton3621]

Required listening in my opinion…

[@soundhealingbygene]

trying to convince people this stuff matters

[@pmccarthy001]

Is FFRF an anti-theist organization? Noting the comments from other posters, I realized I don't know that much about FFRF and what their goals are. Can someone provide some insights or views on this question?

[@pmccarthy001]

I decided to ask ChatGPT... Is FFRF an anti-theist, or anti-religion, organization? The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an organization that advocates for the separation of church and state and promotes nontheism. FFRF works to uphold the principle of the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the government from establishing or promoting any religion. While FFRF is focused on protecting the constitutional principle of church-state separation, it does not advocate for or against any particular religion or belief system. FFRF recognizes that individuals have the right to practice their own religion, as well as the right to not have any religious beliefs. In this sense, FFRF is not anti-religion or anti-theist, but rather pro-secularism and pro-nontheism.

[@brandonjanssen1981]

​@Daisy Bell I will accept chatgpt response as fairly accurate to my own assessment.

[@jackkadaka9020]

It's being able to tell yourself everything is just fine, as a matter of fact, improving, when in actuality the worlds oceans are turning into pools of acid!

[@TeaParty1776]

A tiny amount with no bad effect on man. Only man is important. Nature is not important.

[@thegroove2000]

The worlds oceans are turning into pools of acid! What proof have you got?.

[@ApPersonaNonGrata]

Posting The First Comment: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters :P