The blank slate : the modern denial of human nature / Steven Pinker.

Originally published: New York : Viking Penguin ; London : Allen Lane, 2002.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 461-489) and index.

pt. 1. The blank slate, the noble savage, and the ghost in the machine. The official theory -- Silly putty -- The last wall to fall -- Culture vultures -- The slate's last stand -- pt. 2. Fear and loathing. Political scientists -- The holy trinity -- pt. 3. Human nature with a human face. The fear of inequality -- The fear of imperfectibility -- The fear of determinism -- The fear of nihilism -- pt. 4. Know thyself. In touch with reality -- Out of our depths -- The many roots of our suffering -- The sanctimonious animal -- pt. 5. Hot buttons. Politics -- Violence -- Gender -- Children -- The arts -- pt. 6. The voice of the species -- Appendix: Donald E. Brown's list of human universals.