From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined

Steven Pinker

Start date: January 1, 2014

Finish date: January 31, 2014

Discussion: Book Club 2014

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Book Club 2014

March 2014 - Epigenetics Revolution
By Betsy , co-mod · 13 posts · 147 views

last updated Nov 06, 2019 03:45AM

September 2014 - Sixth Extinction
By Betsy , co-mod · 62 posts · 168 views

last updated Jan 06, 2016 01:48AM

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What Members Thought

Sep 04, 2018 Cassandra Kay Silva rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: psychology-sociology, history

Steven Pinker is fast becoming a favorite author of mine. Everything he writes is so interesting. He really knows how to pick a topic and provide relevant research and feedback for that topic. As a non fiction lover he is straight to the point but still interesting and relevant. Perfect voice for his audience. I think his topic of violence is facinating. We are very easily influenced by this idea that the world is less safe and less secure because of the media and our own warped perceptions. Ste ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Jul 14, 2012 Mag rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history, non-fiction, evolution

Do you know what hemoclysm is? Or, what the difference between genocide, democide and policide is? If you don’t, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, and the good news is that they are all on the decline. Violence is on the decline on the whole, actually.

It shouldn’t come as such a surprise because when you think of it we do live in a much more civilized time than ever before. Yet, it doesn’t feel that way every time we hear about an insane idiot killing schoolchildren or of other awful atrocities ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 09, 2012 Michael Harry rated it really liked it

Shelves: current-affairs-and-opinion, history

While I agree with the authors general premise and I feel he argued his case well I feel he went on too long. This book is far bigger than it needs to be. The general point was made earlier on.

The problems is that the book doesn't know whether it wants to be a reference text on the subject, to dip in and out of or a narrative pop stats book. The tone is conversational and narrative but broken up by digressions into stats and explanations of those stats which loses the flow of what you were read ...more

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