However much we might deplore the profit motive, or consumerist values, if everyone just wants i-Pods we would probably be better off than if they wanted class revolution.
Steven PinkerMost intellectuals today have a phobia of any explanation of the mind that invokes genetics.
Steven PinkerSolving a problem in a hundred years is, practically speaking, the same as not solving it at all.
Steven PinkerA word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell, incantation, curse, or prayer can change the world. Don't snicker: Would you ever say, 'Nothing has gone wrong yet' without looking for wood to knock?
Steven Pinker