Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters

Steven Pinker

£25.00

Hardback

Art & Photography > General > Non-Fiction

ISBN: 9780241380277

Description

‘Punchy, funny and invigorating … Pinker is the high priest of rationalism’ Sunday Times’If you’ve ever considered taking drugs to make yourself smarter, read Rationality instead.

It’s cheaper, more entertaining, and more effective’ Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous MindIn the twenty-first century, humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding – and at the same time appears to be losing its mind.

How can a species that discovered vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, quack cures and conspiracy theorizing?In Rationality, Pinker rejects the cynical cliche that humans are simply an irrational species – cavemen out of time fatally cursed with biases, fallacies and illusions.

After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives and set the benchmarks for rationality itself.

Instead, he explains, we think in ways that suit the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we have built up over millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, causal inference, and decision-making under uncertainty.

These tools are not a standard part of our educational curricula, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book – until now. Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress.

Brimming with insight and humour, Rationality will enlighten, inspire and empower. ‘A terrific book, much-needed for our time’ Peter Singer

Delivery options

Orders are processed and dispatched Monday to Friday.

Estimated Dispatch Times:

Items are usually dispatched within twenty-four to seventy-two hours. Dispatch time does not include delivery. If one or more items are not available when you place your order there may be a delay in dispatch, so that we can send your items in as few parcels as possible. 

Latest UK Delivery Estimates

  • 1st Class - 1-2 working days
  • 2nd Class -  2-3 working days
  • Free Click and Collect at Daunt Books Marylebone

Latest International Delivery Estimates

  • Europe - Standard 7-10 working days
  • Europe - Tracked and Signed 4-7 working days
  • Rest of the World - Standard 15-20 working days
  • Rest of the World - Tracked and Signed 10-15 working days

Ongoing Covid restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting transportation and local delivery across the globe. 

Overseas Delivery Information

We are experiencing delays with deliveries to many countries, but in most cases local services have now resumed. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin.

Overseas Customs

If you are ordering goods for delivery outside of the UK, please note that your consignment may be subject to import duties and taxes, which are levied once the goods reach the country of destination.

Any such charges levied in relation to customs clearance must be paid by you. It is accepted by you that Daunt Books has no control over additional charges in relation to customs clearance. We recommend that you check with your local customs officials or post office for more information regarding importation taxes/duties that may be applicable to your online order as this changes country to country. 

Additional information

Weight 1 kg
Dimensions 25 × 17 × 8 cm