Books like The better angels of our nature by Steven Pinker
In "The Better Angels of Our Nature," Steven Pinker presents a sweeping historical analysis that challenges the prevailing narrative of escalating violence. Drawing on more than a hundred graphs and maps, he traces the decline of war, slavery, infanticide, child abuse, assassinations, pogroms, and genocide over millennia.
Pinker argues that this trend is not accidental but the result of social, political, and psychological changes that have amplified humanity’s inherent aversion to violence. By examining the interplay of psychology and history, he shows how new institutions, norms, and economic structures have allowed our "better angels" to triumph over darker impulses.
The book reframes current fears, suggesting that we may live in the most peaceful period our species has known. It invites readers to rethink assumptions about human nature and the trajectory of civilization.
First publish date: 2011
Genre: Psychology/Social Psychology
Authors: Steven Pinker
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Some Other Similar Books
Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven PinkerThe Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt
The Moral Arc: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity Toward Justice, Freedom, and Happiness by Michael Shermer
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling
The Origins of Morality: An Evolutionary Perspective by Mark Changizi
The Evolution of Cooperation by Robert Axelrod
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
The Society of Others by Rebecca Solnit
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