Pinker Steven. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature

Penguin Books, 2003. — 306 p.This book is for people who wonder where the taboo against human nature came from and who are willing to explore whether the challenges to the taboo are truly dangerous or just unfamiliar. It is for those who are curious about the emerging portrait of our species and curious about the legitimate criticisms of that portrait. It is for those who suspect that the taboo against human nature has left us playing without a full deck as we deal with the pressing issues confronting us. And it is for those who recognize that the sciences of mind, brain, genes, and evolution are permanently changing our view of ourselves and wonder whether the values we hold precious will wither, survive, or (as the author argues) be enhanced.The Blank Slate, the Noble Savage, and the Ghost in the Machine
The Official Theory
Silly Putty
The Last Wall to Fall
Culture Vultures
The Slate's Last StandFear and Loathing
Political Scientists
The Holy TrinityHuman Nature with a Human Face
The Fear of Inequality
The Fear of Imperfectibility
The Fear of Determinism
The Fear of NihilismKnow Thyself
In Touch with Reality
Out of Our Depths
The Many Roots of Our Suffering
The Sanctimonious AnimalHot Buttons
Politics
Violence
Gender
Children
The ArtsThe Voice of the Species