Daily: Steven Pinker on the Rationality Trap

As the human race reaches new heights of scientific understanding, why then does it seem to be losing its mind? Are humans inherently irrational beings? Professor Steven Pinker, cognitive scientist and author of the new book Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, talks to Alex Andreou about how irrationality occurs within our society, and why we need to embrace the notion that humans are naturally rational.

• “I wanted to explain why a species as rational as ours is vulnerable to so much nonsense”
• “There are stupid people who are rational and smart people who are irrational”
• “The reason that persuasion is still called for is that not everyone is a dyed-in-the-wool true believer”
• “The successful politicians are the ones that have ideas, but also know how to reach people”
• “If people are unaware progress has taken place, they could look to turn the clock back”

Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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