Stephen Fry & Steven Pinker on the Enlightenment Today

[@HowToAcademyMindset]

See more of Steven Pinker here: kzbin.info/aero/PLFIigLLitqDk_Ly6HhbIKcJZr4TooeoSX

[@Alexis-hx3yd]

Unlike a lot of interviewers, Fry doesn't muddy the discussion by massaging his own ego,very refreshing.

[@alientube1984]

He actually does a little bit, but he keeps it borderline.

[@jcee6886]

@@alientube1984 I think it's his enthusiasm that makes it seem that way.

[@cjmitz]

@@jcee6886 I wouldn't see it in a negative way. His excitement along with varying mood and passion for the subject definitely come across. You can see he has to actively pause to allow the other man to speak. This actually shows how self-aware and controlled he is in an excitable mood - something very rare

[@granthurlburt4062]

Totally agree. And unlike a lot of said interviewers, he would be interesting!

[@מיכאלמרטיןבנדיקטוס]

I love Stephen Fry's corteous and respectful way of debate

[@optimize.]

Stephen certainly has such a way of debating and I couldn’t agree more. In this particular case I’d say ‘dialogue’ might me a more accurate description of his aim and approach.

[@kevincarrigan635]

I also applaud S. Fry's social graces, but who told U that this was a Debate ? Not a friendly conversation, between like minded scholars ? As is my wish for Palestinians & Hebrews.

[@abdelrahmanmohamedafifi6879]

​@@kevincarrigan635 fat chance

[@Amazistringsmusic]

I just love how Stephen looks when he is listening to Steven talk. You can tell he's genuinely listening, understanding, picking apart.. etc.

[@bastijn5599]

@The Traditionalist Mind who shat in your coffee mate?

[@InservioLetum]

"and then you say something like conjunct" I absolutely died laughing at this point. Sooo relatable.

[@timkunits3426]

Is that what you saw? I got the sense that he was thinking..."If we were in prison, you'd be my bitch"

[@malkeh53]

This is fantastic. A conversation where two super intelligent people, who know the difference between Fact and Opinion, teach the masses.

[@r13hd22]

Yet Pinker calls Damore and MIlo "Alit-right" and neither are alt-right. Intelligent? Yes, yet still fallible

[@birgittabirgersdatter8082]

Richard Depaola jr intelligent has never meant perfect. Intelligent people are more likely to know that they are not perfect.

[@r13hd22]

Never said it meant perfect...I pointed out the flaw in the OPs statement. An intelligent person knows when they do not know something and Mr Pinker made his statement as a statement of fact, not a statement of opinion.

[@tinylittlevampire]

@@r13hd22 yes, fallible. Especially when he said "Capitalism is just superior. That 's just a fact." On Joe Rogan. That's...just a fact, Steven? Since when do scientists say things like...well, that's just a fact. That's that. Now what about that scientific method, bruv?

[@r13hd22]

@@tinylittlevampire Umm, yes they actually do say things like "Thats just a fact" when a thing has been proven beyond a doubt when looking at all information...and Capitalism IS superior. Socialism only looks good to those lacking in most information not only about both economies, but also about history.

[@docjaramillo]

Pinker is a gift to us all. So is Fry.

[@jonjosenna5581]

Two fine examples of how the English language should be spoken.

[@youbetuist]

Indeed :-D

[@bartholomewtott3812]

Snobbery

[@peteoid]

“The only people who seem to bother with language in public today bother with it in quite the wrong way. They write letters to broadcasters and newspapers in which they are rude and haughty about other people’s usage, and in which they show off their own superior ‘knowledge’ of how language should be. I hate that, and I particularly hate the fact that so many of these pedants assume that I am on their side.” - Stephen Fry

[@ClintonAllenAnderson]

Bartholomew Tott "snobbery"? You spelt "standards" incorrectly.

[@rstainsbury]

I love these two SOOO hard!

[@myopenmind527]

Such a privilege to listen to this conversation between two stellar intellectuals and humanists.

[@DB-qw6xq]

The Enlightenment belongs to the phenomenon that is humanity, and not to atheism as an ideology, we have all benefited from the enlightenment and we can all use it together to create new ways to improve the lives of all, especially in the areas of peace. To suggest that only reason, science, humanism, and progress are the natural benefiters of the enlightenment is to hijack it and make it exclusive to an atheist agenda - i.e. that which has a proven record of utter destruction to humanity!

[@spadebraithwaite1762]

I don't know the grey haired guy but Stephen Fry ain't much smarter than guy that just gave you fries with that.

[@myopenmind527]

@@spadebraithwaite1762 at least you are willing to admit that you are ignorant.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Glad things like this are now so easilly available to anyone!

[@shike67]

Stephen is such a great talker but also a sublime listener, he listens so intently so his follow up questions are so acutely phrased

[@InservioLetum]

What I love about these two is every time they speak I find myself compelled to take notes, pause and rewatch, then go and study the concepts, terms, and history I hadn't heard of before. Almost nothing else in life can spark in me the yearning to learn, as much as listening and watching superior minds in discourse. Both these men, as well as the other "horsemen of new atheism" fill me with awe and inspiration.

[@willmpet]

I'm watching it again. I obviously didn't hear everything. I watch films several times because I want to get all the kernels of wisdom out.

[@quantumfineartsandfossils2152]

these are useless farty Epstein conmen the are not our worlds genius males you dont hear about those

[@MehtalicA]

Couldn't agree more: the rewatching and note-taking

[@stulax1216]

,.

[@johnnyfastfingers]

He’s a beautiful soul

[@alanroberts5056]

Its great that guys like me, ordinary construction worker types can find a huge amount of interest in things that not long ago would be very difficult if not impossible to hear for anyone but students and other proffessors.. I even understand most of the words.

[@mickaymiller9622]

Alan Roberts Don’t discount yourself: just to like exploring such conversation is admirable and how else to “get to Carnegie Hall” except to practice...and grow. Until annoying mouth smacking drives ME away!

[@nathane5287]

This was a fun surprise to see these two gentleman share a stage, loved both of their enthusiasm!

[@krikeles]

loved listening to Stephen and Steven. Propose a drinking game: drink whenever the word "indeed" is uttered.

[@juangabrielsaizvarona332]

I've already had about 14 drinks...

[@zetetick395]

"I am drunk indeed!"

[@VastlyVessels]

Hiccup!!

[@zetetick395]

"Sozzled, in thought and indeed" XD

[@SN-qu2gz]

I rhink rhR IA a freat ideo\@|!!!

[@goyasolidar]

Pinker and Fry is the intellectual buddy cop movie we never knew we wanted.

[@jamiemorris6088]

But it's the one we needed!

[@dhruvgupta794]

yes

[@ankushds7018]

Speak for yourself young lad(y). I've wanted that from the time I could think

[@markle1216]

There’s no We I’ve made it clear and so did America China Canada India Mexico etc

[@richardcampbell8498]

Meh, there’s much better pairings. Pinker is a passionless dullard. Not even Fry’s great wit could elicit some interesting back and forth from him.

[@SapereAude1490]

This is just brilliant. Awesome. So good. Stephen is such a good interviewer AND a good actor AND so well read.

[@peterz53]

great discussion. nice to see that Fry wasn't just being a placeholder, but engaged and asked good questions.

[@tariktorgaddon9597]

Arguably, the best 1hr 18 minutes I've spent on KZbin for a hell of a long time... I could listen to these Intellectual Leviathans converse many times over.

[@JudoP_slinging]

Pinker is just great. Better Angels blew my mind. The defense of modernity is sorely needed and almost never aired in this age, and I didn't even know that until I read the book.

[@gibberconfirm166]

"The Blank Slate" and "How the Mind Works" are well worth reading. If anything, he so soundly and brilliantly crushed the issues he approached that popular science has all seemed pretty boring to me, since then. And some current cultural arguments still seem almost deranged--"Pinker already won this argument in 2002."

[@mattgreer86]

isreview.org/issue/86/steven-pinker-alleged-decline-violence

[@mattgreer86]

blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/war-scholar-critiques-new-study-of-roots-of-violence/

[@mattgreer86]

Pinkers book has been widely criticised by his peers. I'm suprised he hasn't retracted it yet

[@douglasthomashayden2566]

@@mattgreer86 Evidence for that assertion, then...provide it.

[@mdebhul1528]

Steven looked many times to engage the audience, a lovely quality.

[@houndofzoltan]

Steven Pinker should be the new Doctor Who

[@shmookins]

Doctor Who should be the new Steven Pinker. :p

[@alexomara3483]

ha ha yes indeed!

[@ChollieD]

But he isn't a black, French-speaking, trans-gender Lesbian in a wheelchair! I demand that the next Doctor be Intersectional As Fuck.

[@ChollieD]

@Shadow Heart Well, *_I_* was having a laugh. Smile! :0)

[@alexomara3483]

Shadow Heart: who hurt you? Nothing more pathetic than a snowflake commenting on an opposite snowflake about commenting not realising the irony of the comment

[@joelonsdale]

What a wonderful event - I wish I'd been there in person! Really enjoyable talk between two very different but extremely eloquent and intelligent people.

[@undividedself1]

Splendid pair of Stevens.

[@aether-elephant]

Hahahahahahhhaaaaahahahahaa!!

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

What is the collective noun for "Stev(ph)ens"?

[@Sophiedorian0535]

@@elizabethblackwell6242 Stephanymophores: bearers of names derived from the name Stephanus.

[@idecantwellbarnes6707]

The BEST with great thanks. Delightful.

[@williamclark9973]

@@elizabethblackwell6242 "crowns"

[@richardblock2458]

I was there - Pinker is very articulate and does not constantly name drop in order to impress.

[@mabaker]

Unlike daddy Peterson who constantly has to rely on name calling and reminding his alt right fans why they’re wasting so much money on his Patreon account.

[@jamesshin4901]

Must have been ecstatic!

[@xenojivaswitness2204]

Isnt name dropping a way of letting the listeners know that the idea you are about to say comes from somebody else? Like how you put a source on a statistical evidence because it wasn't you who conducted the test/survey?

[@kardas666]

@boson96 can you point to some sources of your claims?

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

You lucky doer.

[@mxwtubemxw]

two of the very best human beings in the world :-) A pleasure.

[@WyreForestBiker]

Fry is the ultimate interviewer for intellectual discussions .

[@ZacksMetalRiffs]

He's a beast

[@georgegraham6069]

No he's not. He barely keeps up with high school physics.

[@EdWilde]

No he isn't. I have to agree with @Cliff Hanley. I love Fry...but his ego runs away with him when he is the interviewer...his basic feelings of being 'less than' are exposed. Sad, since he is such a brilliant man.

[@WyreForestBiker]

What a strange view ! ..I haven't seen an interviewer who interrupts LESS than him.

[@EdWilde]

He is not always 'the authority' on the subject, yet insists on inputting his shining "look what I know" statements.... It's not a big thing. As I've said, I'm a big fan of his and he is a very brilliant man.

[@auto-did-act]

After listening to this, I feel like my brain just ate a chocolate :D

[@illyriandescendant7963]

Hahahahaa that's a good one.

[@patdiggin7053]

Forrest gump

[@Ratigan2]

I had a similar thought! I said to myself that watching this was like feeding my brain, but I like your metaphor better :D

[@George.Andrews.]

After listening to this my brain wonders why it was recorded from a stage mike and not from the desk

[@Mad_S]

I absolutely love Stephen Fry he does so much for the world. His impact on generations to come should never be understated. With people like stephen who even needs a god?

[@samvidrajwar6424]

You just spoke my mind, sir.

[@irielion3748]

Isn't Fry God?

[@DB-qw6xq]

The Enlightenment belongs to the phenomenon that is humanity, and not to atheism as an ideology, we have all benefited from the enlightenment and we can all use it together to create new ways to improve the lives of all, especially in the areas of peace. To suggest that only reason, science, humanism, and progress are the natural benefiters of the enlightenment is to hijack it and make it exclusive to an atheist agenda - i.e. that which has a proven record of utter destruction to humanity!

[@emsee1138]

Love you, Stephen Fry! Thanks for the great interview!

[@ShunyamNiketana]

I love Pinker, love how he stays simple and general in his answers until the interviewer presses for elaboration or the other interviewee ratchets up the debate, and then Pinker opens the gates to myriad examples and explanations. But I do wish, if it's in him, that one time he would confess a love for something totally irrational like dancing to the Doobie Brothers.

[@johnnycharisma162]

The interviewer?

[@jessejustsick]

I propose a new genre of lofi hip hop featuring Stephen Fry discussing random topics called, "LoFry". It's chill and enlightening.

[@EntertheGam3]

Greatest idea I've ever heard

[@DanShinn]

Pinker: DON’T SAY IT DON’T SAY IT DON’T SAY IT DON’T SAY IT DON’T SAY IT Indeed.

[@Ratigan2]

I found it a strange too thinking it was a lot more posh than using, say, "exactly." :D

[@keatsgipsy9991]

I return often to just enjoy - definitely enlightened by these two gentlemen. Thank you both. I hope for another conversation with you both very soon.

[@briang530]

two personal heroes of mine. theworld might be a better place if this video had several million more views.

[@mohnaim5824]

These two are national (world) treasures, two of the most enlightened and inspired thinkers who excel in quality of imagination.

[@puddy-pw7ku]

if men-women like these men, with such insights & visions would be 'in power' (gouvernements) in the whole world, what a difference society would be...

[@cloudatlas349]

Let's hope we get there someday... we're still evolving, and barley out of the dark ages, so despite the current political situation, I think there's hope in the long run. I know, call me over optimistic, but still! ✌

[@gracewoodard9134]

@Reggie Cyde Do you remember when Harvard's the Best and the Brightest ran US policy? Disaster. My experience is that academics can be a pretty petty bunch...has nothing to do with brain size and intellectual interests.

[@sammavacaist]

Vast majority of people would find this intolerably boring.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

But they don't spread hate and tell people what they need to be against. They would fail misserably in politics.

[@sammavacaist]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 You shouldn't need to be told to be against treating people like 2nd class humans because of race, sex, etc.

[@9897431]

i feel like stephen is fan-girling and its so cute

[@peteoid]

These are two of my favourite people.

[@-8_8-]

Two of my favorite people, thank you for the upload.

[@Diggnuts]

Sharp, intelligent, insightful and very well read... And Pinker is no slouch as well.

[@tattarrrrattat]

I want to see Brian May and Pinker trade hair-grooming tips.

[@BidlaBuh]

and german talkshowhost thomas gottschalk...

[@pseudonayme7717]

And Albert Einstein...

[@malkeh53]

Nathan, I love your comment. Laughing. And they are both scientists too.

[@tattarrrrattat]

Oh they'd get on famously.

[@burlatsdemontaigne6147]

... and Simon Rattle.

[@boazklachkin4177]

Totally enlightening!!! Thank you for beaming a bright light on a dark world.

[@spnhm34]

Thank you, on behalf of everyone, for debunking the “good old days”

[@jamesshin4901]

Love this perspective!! Hope both left and right be humble enough to take cues from Mr. Pinker's work to continue progress without falling into insensible pseudo sense of moral superiority.

[@shmookins]

His book 'The Better Angels of our Nature' blew my mind. I highly recommend it.

[@zetetick395]

I have really enjoyed Steven Pinker's books, but I think my favourite moment of his was when he played electric guitar on the roof of Buckingham Palace. \m/

[@rohmann000]

Lol

[@angryisaac2560]

I love how excited Stephen is in the video. He knows he's going to be talking to one of the tiny group of people on the planet with a bigger brain than him. It's like the Mensa equivalent of going to see Santa!!

[@sammavacaist]

Fry has blind spots in his thinking process. Living a reclusive life of autodidacticism doesn't necessarily mean you're smart about everything.

[@quantumfineartsandfossils2152]

these are useless farty Epstein conmen the are not our worlds genius males you dont hear about those

[@urbangorilla33]

@@quantumfineartsandfossils2152 What are you talking about?

[@kingy002]

@@urbangorilla33 Why waste your breathe and time on it!

[@JamesAlanMagician]

The world's two greatest Stevens!

[@michellesupper6849]

Only one Steven. The other is a Stephen :)

[@theocean1973]

Stephen Fry and Steven Pinker? This is a total atheist-gasm! Love it!!!

[@robertpirsig5011]

Would you atheist-gasm at an audience with Stalin and Hitler? Honest question.

[@acolytes777]

@Reggie Cyde thing is atheism is a non theistic religion

[@acolytes777]

@Reggie Cyde God is dead meaning that theres no morality once God is 'killed' according to Nietzsche. But you're right man is deified, nevertheless it doesn't take away that Atheism is a religion.

[@karlpages1970]

Thanks for the vid :-) Enlightenment is on the march. However slowly and meandering, it is still worthy identity for us all.

[@verigumetin4291]

@Reggie Cyde lets hope this doesnt transform into something detrimental to society

[@verigumetin4291]

@Reggie Cyde friend the news is always like that

[@koru9780]

I know I have been truly entertained when I find myself clapping with the audience.

[@Sentientism]

23:17 Love this: "To treat other people and ultimately other sentient creatures as equivalent in interests to my own." That's why we need to upgrade Humanism to @Sentientism: "evidence, reason and compassion for all sentient beings." A simple worldview, but one with radical, positive implications - for us human animals, for non-human animals and for the planet we all share. Maybe the next edition of Enlightenment Now will be subtitled "The Case for Reason, Science, Sentientism and Progress" :)

[@emdiar6588]

Problems: 1. defining sentience. At what point on the spectrum of sentience or the ability to react to external stimuli, do we draw the line. Most plants and fungi could be described as having senses. 2. bacon.

[@Sentientism]

@@emdiar6588 Thanks for your reply! 1) That challenge doesn't undermine the moral salience of sentience. Other terms like "life", "human" and "person" face similar challenges - yet they remain useful. My suggested approach is not to think of Sentience as a strict binary on/off - but as something that likely has fuzzy edges (like "life") - in our understanding of it if not in reality. We can use science to work out, always imperfectly, where that fuzziness is. We can also grade sentience. So far I've seen no evidence that plants/fungi experience suffering or flourishing - but if they did, maybe that experience would be less intense than that of animals? As ever, let's follow the science. And wherever it is and whoever experiences it - surely all suffering matters morally? 2) I get that taste pleasures are important to many people. But are they really important enough to justify the suffering & death involved in satisfying them? Particularly as the alternatives available can give other wonderful taste experiences without causing suffering & death. Even the plant-based bacons are getting really good. Well worth a try if you love the smoky taste. Most find that the taste pleasure of bacon is much more about smoke and salt than it is about the flesh of sentient pigs. Personally, any pleasure I used to take from consuming animal products has now been replaced by a deep ethical disgust at what those products are, how they were made and what that meant for the experiences of the sentient beings involved and their families.

[@stupidas9466]

@@Sentientism as to your response to 1) well said. No rebuttal required. As to 2) i say "mmmmmmmmmmm…..bacon. I win.

[@Sentientism]

@@stupidas9466 1) Thank you. 2) Nominative determinism 🙂

[@ronnie9187]

We need more interesting discussions like this, to recharge our minds.

[@brendarua01]

OMG Two of my favorites! Thank you!

[@DazNoyce]

Fantastic conversation. Great to be a fly on their wall. Would be interesting to have same chat today vs C19 and Russia/Ukraine.

[@Oscarman746]

Enjoyed this! Correction: Derrida actually defined deconstructionism as moving from what the text means to say to what the text is constrained to mean (i.e. Meaning in language/writing/speaking is constrained but to social layers not just physical reality). Foucault simply added that discourse (e.g. how we discuss gender, mental health and education) often serves the function of propagating power relationships between certain groups (doctors/patients, men/women, adults/children). Postmodernism accepts the facts of reality but simply considers how those facts play out in the social world.

[@Ratigan2]

I can only describe this talk as a beautiful mesh between science and art.

[@TheBergdahljustin]

Bravo Steven Pinker! Thank you for helping to spearhead the course correction of Culture, Politics and Academia. When I realized that a well respected Lefty had been speaking out, I actually felt a noticeable sense of relief from the overwhelming injustice of what has been going on.

[@jc87ish]

I wish there was a Stephen Fry digital overlay that I could put on all my devices. Whenever I don't understand something (or just for fun), I can push a button and Stephen Fry's wonderfully gracious voice will explain what I'm currently looking at or working on.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

I'd install that.

[@siamakhashemi]

Great minds! Totally enjoined it!

[@michaelshannon9169]

Basic ideas discussed with extravagant jargon that the masses think is profound.

[@E2O10]

And? The point isn't to prove their intellect but to make the public think. What do you mean "extravagant jargon"? Are you intimidated by articulate speakers that have actually glanced at a dictionary or read books? Comprehension of a language helps with explanation of ideas. They actually think and consider what they say instead of spewing the first banality that comes to mind.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

How is this extravagant jargon?

[@trickeyD]

Love these two guys! Steven must be manic here as he looks like he's about to burst. If so his performance is even more impressive. Great conversation!

[@kamiel79]

I MISS CHRISTOPHER !

[@hfive2715]

kamiel choi agreed.

[@PritchDringle]

Christopher is dead? What? Oh my god. Call Mom RIGHT NOW. Wait, how do you know my brother?

[@ThrowingStones32]

Many do...and more importantly, all "should" miss him even more. Yet I have his books close by me...he's not going anywhere.

[@elizabethblackwell6242]

Hitch xxxx.

[@sarahgalanaki2188]

so do I , I sorely miss his input in todays debates......

[@davidk6656]

The fact that this video has 500k views while some cat videos have 50M views is just saddening. I feel like I learn something new every time I listen to Stephen Fry or Steven Pinker, especially when they're having a conversation. Amazing.

[@soonyanaidu7875]

People would rather die than think Cat videos don't need any work

[@gonx9906]

You cant defeat cats on youtube

[@valerianmandrake]

Proves people react more strongly to cute stuff than smart stuff. Of course, one could possess both qualities. My friend's cat is a true intellectual, he comes up with novel ideas all the time.

[@eveigoe4739]

Fabulous to hear two such likeable intellectuals speaking on our strange existence. Should be compulsory viewing if that’s not contradictory. Thanks and well done.

[@kevincarrigan635]

My favorite quote of Marshall McLuhan is, "We are developing more & more diverse means of communicating, less & less significant ideas". Sound a wee bit like Facebook & social media, maybe ???

[@rustycherkas8229]

The McLuhan quote I remember is, "The medium is the message." Regarding FB, twitter and, yes, even KZbin comments, the media and their messages are worth every penny you pay for it!

[@haipengli4769]

There are just too many ways to go wrong than get things right. Good point!

[@michelvandepol1485]

How is it possible that Steven Pinker and Chris Hedges as non economist say more sensible things about the economy than most economists

[@sunitapalissery258]

Great conversation. What an excellent way to spend Easter break.thank you.

[@einsteinzvice517]

I think like "Tea & cookies," an interview/chat-up between Pinker & Peterson would be absolutely delightful! These two intellectuals could only enhance one another. Both men are articulately polite, in full mature control of their emotions, and share the joy; the sheer enthusiasm of discovering new ideas; regardless the degree of interest being equally mutual. I have read '12 Rules' & Pinker's 'The Stuff Of Thought' as well. I'd like to know what is the 'hot-beverage' of their choice!!!

[@bisque6448]

Jordan interviewed Pinker once online. There's a video of that somewhere on his channel.

[@SIMKINETICS]

Two substantial minds enlightening us on The Enlightenment, Fry & Pinker tell of the Scientific Revolution. I'd suggest that Gutenberg's printing press was the real major trigger nearly 200 years earlier. Earlier literacy was limited to those who could afford the expensive hand-copied text & books to read, but the poor majority had plenty of its citizens wanting to know what was in those books, and how to respond in writing. Affordable, mass-produced books opened a portal to knowledge for the inquisitive poor who knew that knowledge was power, and that this power was largely denied by the economics of literacy until that time! This press was liberation of minds! The religious leadership that lent 'spiritual support' to the oligarchs in Medieval Europe was exclusively privy to this often secret knowledge. Literacy in Europe finally began rising among the most intelligent poor first at about 10% per decade almost immediately after Gutenberg's more automated press got replicated all over the Western countries. The ideas shared through an increasingly literate populace created a social & intellectual synergy that naturally led to wide expression of dissatisfaction about the status quo. The dogmatic order of the Dark Ages was crumbling under the weight of new knowledge created in the cauldron of sharing and recording among the people at large. Intellectual comradery was born, leading to questions about everything, often haphazard at first; science was the response to apply discipline to acquiring and sharing knowledge in a systematic way. Science empowered literacy to become a rational force that challenged old ideas with new ideas that could be shown to work better or work at all! Give the working folks the power of knowledge, and good things happen. ...like The Enlightenment!

[@oliverbeard7912]

A great interview.I really enjoy the openness of this discussion,which shines a strong light on the brilliant Mr Pinker and his analysis.I applaud the fact that some taboo issues are covered (or should that be uncovered?) aswell .Enlightening indeed. Thanks for the post.

[@mortisCZ]

His believes, books and media image make J. Peterson very alt right in my personal European terms. He is probably not extreme right but traditional right here is more business and less morals.

[@davidkahn2810]

Steven Pinker had a greater influence on me giving up on religion then any of the four horsemen. I have read the blank slate and better angels. I am looking forward to reading enlightenment now.

[@Gottenhimfella]

It would be interesting to hear more about what arguments you found most challenging, and/or persuasive.

[@Hashishin13]

I hope StePHen hosts more things like this.

[@koru9780]

Love that they seem to have forgotten the audience. Makes for a wonderful discussion.

[@davidhunt7427]

Great episode! I find Stephen Fry's comments to usually be helpful and even insightful. The evolving idea that human beings are not born _blank slates_ but have innate, firmwired, crib sheets that come in new born infants that help the infants organize information without having to intellectually solve the difficult problems involved in epistemology, theory of mind of self and others, all while also coherently organizing the information coming to us from sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste and creating a model of the world with us in it,... all this is already accepted for language acquisition,... and now researchers are investigating what other crib sheets we are born with. Like so much else in life,... we can do it effortlessly because, our ancestors could do so effortlessly, because if they couldn't do the above cognitive activities efficaciously,... they wouldn't have remained alive long enough so as to beget us. If we have crib sheets for language, might we have them for morality, ethics, and economics? Might different personality archetypes have different crib sheets than others might? NT Rationals keirsey.com/temperament/rational-overview/ seem to value truth over authority while most everyone else value authority over truth. In trying to derive _ought from is_ I have found it helpful to discuss what absolute liberties individuals get to enjoy, while also discussing what unchosen, positive duties everyone has no choice but to comply with or face violent social sanction. The only such duty, that my fellow libertarians seem to recognize is, _if you break it, you must fix it._ Is this enough? Might there be more? But remember, every unchosen, positive duty necessarily grants the state the right, and even the duty, to kill anyone who refuses to comply. The state will likely not start with such lethal force,... but all laws are enforcable only because of the tacit, implied threat of everything eventually escalating into _do as we say or you'll die!_ If this seems overly harsh,... just consider it me applying libertarian drano to the wax that collect in most minds when we contemplate the state. It is not reason, nor eloquence,... only force; and force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. But, except for the anarcho-capitalists,... it would seem we all agree with Hobbes that such a thing as the state must exist. Where humanity has yet to create a set of moral axioms that are self-evident to all, and that require no further proof,... we are left with the state serving as a practical substitute for such. Consider *Socialism and Human Nature* www.cato.org/events/socialism-human-nature which illustrates how deep human pre-history has programmed us to praise the sharing of wealth while either ignoring or being suspicious of those who create new wealth. Keynesianism seems to teach us that spending money is virtuous while savings are suspect. The world today has all the world governments racing each other to see who can create the most debt while depreciating the value of their fiat currencies. See www.usdebtclock.org/ The moral, ethical, and economic intuitions that served our ancestors for probably millions of years just don't scale up in the modern world,... but socialists, and the public that admires them, keep trying. What is evil but live backwards? I may be a cognitive dissonance junkie.

[@markdemell3717]

I would like to see these two talk about the meaning of LOVE.

[@TribuneAquila]

The meaning of love, or what is love, is baby not hurting me. Not hurting me. No more.

[@sineporfa9053]

11:58 this is the sexiest pronunciation of "Aufklärung" I have ever heard from an Englishman. Even though his way to say it is a bit cliche: Hard, aggressive and with a very throaty "r". I love it.

[@sammavacaist]

Too bad they're both hideously ugly men.

[@finnradoy1742]

@@sammavacaist I'd bet that it is because they somehow oppose your political ideology that you now have to go into the comments and for no reason whatsoever live out your foolish emotional state of anger because you lack the capability of controlling it yourself.

[@sammavacaist]

@@finnradoy1742 Doesn't make them better looking. Its caused Steven great pain throughout his life. He's said as much.

[@finnradoy1742]

@@sammavacaist It caused him pain that he isn't attractive? I'd like the source on that, and even if so, I don't find Pinker unattractive, and besides all of that, what exactly has that to do with any of the ideas that were discussed or the fact that someone finds the pronounciation of Aufklärung sexy? You're not really contributing to anything here and I wonder where that drive to spread hatred comes from.

[@sammavacaist]

@@finnradoy1742 Do you call out men who trash unattractive women this hard?

[@nancylamott8088]

This is a brilliant discussion. Thank you so much.

[@MrScipio2011]

Maybe if principles of the enlightenment were taught beginning at an early age things might have turned out differently.

[@AkshayTomar1987]

What principles?

[@chrissimpson7634]

@@AkshayTomar1987 scientific method, freedom of speech, freedom of enquiry, freedom of religion 100% should be taught from a young age imo. Don't teach kids what to think, teach them how to think.

[@DINOLOVER6717]

Wow be careful what you wish for is absolutely correct. In speaking of the reduction of inequality, 3 years after this we experienced a pandemic. And that has leveled the playing field in a way. Most of us have experienced loss, financial difficulties, etc. What an interesting concept. Thank you for uploading. This is brilliant! 👌

[@Tsnore]

Chomsky recently said Pinker is wrong (on Democracy Now!) and that the world has deteriorated and is worse off in many ways than it was decades or centuries before. I disagree. I think Pinker has a stronger case even in these times of pandemic.

[@annalangston6567]

Pinker is a visiting lecturer at my university and I cant wait to hear him talk :)

[@HalfManThirdBiscuit]

It's great to see Fry doing something interesting. I realise I've missed him. It's better than his interactions with fans on social media which is essentially a tidal wave of sycophancy met with Fry's planet-sized bashful modesty.

[@gortt7611]

If our species acted in its own interest we would ask/plead with people like Pinker to be the chairs of the committees running our countries.

[@PrateekLala]

Both of these guys are fantastic. Here's a fun drinking game while watching: take a shot every time Pinker says "indeed".

[@edmundblackaddercoc8522]

Prateek Lala i don't need a 'trigger' to have a shot!

[@busybee3817]

I never needed religion..i was ok from the start...i love! the Love bringd me Love back..its simple! your mother loves you, in a way, that inspire love. First impression is love.

[@lonelylucifer5301]

I don't find reproduction as shallow. It has given my life tremendous meaning. Giving more humans the ability to be part of the universe experiencing itself. My drive now is to help create a world in which their lives are allowed to be filled with that awe and not tediously wasted as cogs in a wheel or slaves to dogma.

[@milekrizman]

This is so well said

[@sophitsa79]

Nice but futile

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

It is fullfilling a selfish need. The need to feel more important then you actually are. And that is fine, we all end up doing whatever gives us that feeling. Doesn't take away the shallowness of it though.

[@helendietrich7566]

I loved the discussion and, of course, I am not an expert in many of the subjects discussed here, but I've been thinking about two things: 1. Progress has been certainly good for humans in general, but it came with the cost of losing or threatening other species and ecosystems. Shall we take into account other species and if yes, how? 2. If reason, science and humanism are things that we should aspire to collectively, and even the most progressive systems are not ideal, then how is it different from what religion tells us (like, yes, there are bad people among Christians/Muslims/etc., but it's the ideal that we have to aspire to and that the ultimate goal is goodness for everyone)?

[@cosmicdustparticle7481]

Cracked my screen smashing the Like button!

[@ConnecttoSoul]

Thank you for your own ongoing insight, imagination coupled with teaching to sustain my mission to becoming more consciously watchful including spiritually connected.

[@belovedrock.]

That was excellent.

[@JacobBrownacro]

I loved this talk. I wish more people were interested in this stuff.

[@martincasey5110]

Little treat!!

[@nelsongonzalez4533]

Interesting and enlightening conversation.😀😁🤗

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

I know Stephen Fry is more famous now as an advocate for logic, atheism, reason, etc than as an entertainer & actor. Nevertheless, I still found him deliciously hilarious in the second Sherlock Holmes movie: "Game of Shadows", when he walks out completely nude, conversing with Robert Downey Jr.

[@jeffreylangford962]

Love Professor Steven Pinker and Stephen Fry

[@KingNefiiria]

"When he thinks I'm coming--" Fry: 😊 "--but I'm not." Fry: 😥

[@willmpet]

I’ve read “Enlightenment Now” and this portrays it well!

[@stevenshar1233]

I know it's a little silly but Steven Pinker reminds of the first Doctor from Doctor Who.