The images of conflict we see daily on our screens from around the world suggest this is an almost obscene claim to be making. Extraordinarily, however, Steven Pinker shows violence within and between societies - both murder and warfare - really has declined from prehistory to today. We are much less likely to die at someone else's hands than ever before. Even the horrific carnage of the last century, when compared to the dangers of pre-state societies, is part of this trend.
Debunking both the idea of the 'noble savage' and an over-simplistic Hobbesian notion of a 'nasty, brutish and short' life, Steven Pinker argues that modernity and its cultural institutions are actually making us better people.
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The images of conflict we see daily on our screens from around the world suggest this is an almost obscene claim to be making. Extraordinarily, however, Steven Pinker shows violence within and between societies - both murder and warfare - really has declined from prehistory to today. We are much less likely to die at someone else's hands than ever before. Even the horrific carnage of the last century, when compared to the dangers of pre-state societies, is part of this trend.
Debunking both the idea of the 'noble savage' and an over-simplistic Hobbesian notion of a 'nasty, brutish and short' life, Steven Pinker argues that modernity and its cultural institutions are actually making us better people.
Imprint | Penguin Books |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Release date | October 2012 |
Availability | Expected to ship within 9 - 15 working days |
First published | October 2012 |
Authors | Steven Pinker |
Dimensions | 198 x 127 x 46mm (L x W x T) |
Format | Paperback |
Pages | 1026 |
ISBN-13 | 978-0-14-103464-5 |
Barcode | 9780141034645 |
Categories | |
LSN | 0-14-103464-5 |