Louis Menand's review of Pinker's BLANK SLATE is excellent -- as far as I can tell, since I haven't read Pinker's book. It fits with the "evolutionary psychology" books that I _have_ read (e.g., Baron-Cohen's book on autism). I will probably never read Pinker's book, since it seems quite weak.
As for more useful books on biology and "human nature," I recommend The Madness of Adam and Eve: How Schizophrenia Shaped Humanity, by David Horrobin. It's about how strange types (such as those that inhabit pen-l) made humankind what it is today, for better or for worse.
Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx & http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine
- [PEN-L:32373] Re: derailing trade talks, (continued)
- [PEN-L:32373] Re: derailing trade talks, Peter Dorman Tue 19 Nov 2002, 17:42 GMT
- [PEN-L:32357] Re: trying to head off litigation under the Alien Tort Claims Act, Michael Perelman Tue 19 Nov 2002, 02:49 GMT
- [PEN-L:32356] Loren Goldner's Web site, Michael Perelman Tue 19 Nov 2002, 02:10 GMT
- [PEN-L:32354] when I write my masterpiece..., Devine, James Mon 18 Nov 2002, 23:09 GMT
- [PEN-L:32353] re: Blank State Reviewed, Devine, James Mon 18 Nov 2002, 23:07 GMT
- [PEN-L:32351] Re: Hi Joanne- re 2WW - I almost forgot, joanna bujes Mon 18 Nov 2002, 22:08 GMT
- [PEN-L:32358] Re: Re: Hi Joanne- re 2WW - I almost forgot, Gar Lipow Tue 19 Nov 2002, 03:22 GMT
- [PEN-L:32350] More on US policy and Iraq Oil, ken hanly Mon 18 Nov 2002, 20:51 GMT
- [PEN-L:32348] War & property tax, Eugene Coyle Mon 18 Nov 2002, 20:39 GMT