The better angels of our nature : why violence has declined
(Book)
Author
Published
New York : Viking, 2011.
ISBN
0670022950, 9780670022953, 9780143122012
Physical Desc
xxviii, 802 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm
Status
Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Barrington - Non-Fiction (Main Floor) | 303.6 PIN | On Shelf |
Bristol (Rogers Free) - Adult Non-Fiction | 303.6 PIN | On Shelf |
East Greenwich - Adult Non-Fiction | 303.6 PIN | On Shelf |
Narragansett (Maury Loontjens) - Adult Non-Fiction | 303.609 PIN | On Shelf |
Newport - Adult Non-Fiction | 303.609 Pin | On Shelf |
Description
Loading Description...
Also in this Series
Checking series information...
More Details
Published
New York : Viking, 2011.
Format
Book
Language
English
ISBN
0670022950, 9780670022953, 9780143122012
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
We've all asked, "What is the world coming to?" But we seldom ask, "How bad was the world in the past?" In this startling new book, cognitive scientist Steven Pinker shows that the past was much worse. Evidence of a bloody history has always been around us: genocides in the Old Testament, gory mutilations in Shakespeare and Grimm, monarchs who beheaded their relatives, and American founders who dueled with their rivals. The murder rate in medieval Europe was more than thirty times what it is today. Slavery, sadistic punishments, and frivolous executions were common features of life for millennia, then were suddenly abolished. How could this have happened, if human nature has not changed? Pinker argues that thanks to the spread of government, literacy, trade, and cosmopolitanism, we increasingly control our impulses, empathize with others, debunk toxic ideologies, and deploy our powers of reason to reduce the temptations of violence.--From publisher description.
Reviews from GoodReads
Loading GoodReads Reviews.
Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Pinker, S. (2011). The better angels of our nature: why violence has declined . Viking.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Pinker, Steven, 1954-. 2011. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Viking.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Pinker, Steven, 1954-. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined Viking, 2011.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Pinker, Steven. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined Viking, 2011.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
Staff View
Loading Staff View.