Steven Pinker – New Walden

Evidence for the Soul? A Reply to Michael Shermer

Have scientists discovered the human soul? Research on mental health suggests that the mind appears to manifest certain soul-like attributes, namely, the experience of reward and punishment.

by John Gravino

The Cause of Declining Violence—Enlightenment? Or Incarceration?

Today, you are 2.5 times more likely to be the victim of violence than in 1960. Are we really more enlightened, Dr. Pinker?

by John Gravino

Good Reasons Not to Be an Optimist

A small group of people is trying to persuade the world that, “Everything is awesome!” Time Magazine devoted a recent issue to these apostles of optimism. They include Bill Gates, who acted as guest editor for Time’s optimistic edition. And the Pied Piper of this merry band of optimists is the author of Bill Gates’s […]

by John Gravino

Duke Powerpoint: “Does Religion Really Poison Everything? A Critical Review of New Atheist Perspectives on Religion and Science”

Here are the slides that went with my lecture at Duke Medical School. I believe all sources are adequately cited. I think I noticed a couple of slides where attributions were inadvertently/inexplicably cut off. I may make changes to some slides since I will certainly make use of this resource in the future. The slides […]

by John Gravino

The Science of Sinning Less—From Christianity Today

Practicing Christians have more self-control than lax Christians and secular people according to a study that is featured in the latest issue of Christianity Today. [Bold emphasis is mine.] Because Christianity requires self-control, it logically follows that it also builds it, and thus we can expect active Christians to have relatively high levels of self-control. And […]

by John Gravino

“If You Can Keep It,” by Eric Metaxas, Part 1

I am happy to announce that the New Walden Book Club (NWBC) is under way. Here is the first installment of our discussion of the new book by Eric Metaxas, If You Can Keep It. The video discusses the introduction to the book. There, Metaxas lays the groundwork for what I anticipate will be his argument, namely, […]

by John Gravino

Best Version, part 2: The Problem with Steven “Pollyanna” Pinker and the Emersonians

In my previous post, I discussed the idea of being “the best version of yourself.” My main point was that we all believe in this idea in some form; that’s why the ritual of making New Year’s resolutions is so popular. And if we take the idea seriously that there is a best version of […]