Pathogenesis: A History of the World in Eight Plagues

by Jonathan Kennedy

Steven Pinker is undoubtedly the most prominent contemporary advocate of this swaggering, triumphant narrative of history. His bestselling book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (2018) argues that, over the past few centuries, the application of science and reason has allowed us to escape the ignorance, superstition and misery of the past and create a world that is not just healthier, but also wealthier, more peaceful and increasingly respectful of human rights. Inherent in Pinker’s argument is the idea that our current economic and political system is fundamentally responsible for this progress and, at most, is only in need of a minor tune-up to optimize the way it functions.