We will never have a perfect world, but it's not romantic or naive to work toward a better one.
Steven PinkerThe reason the United States is not so likely to invade Iran is precisely because of the lessons learned from Iraq. And conversely, the Iranian push towards nuclear capability is calculated to deter invasions like the kind deposing Saddam Husain.
Steven PinkerI think a lot of moral debates are not over what is the basis of justice, but who gets a ticket to play in the game.
Steven PinkerIf you give people literacy, bad ideas can be attacked and experiments tried, and lessons will accumulate.
Steven Pinker