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The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature book club questions
Here are 12 book club questions for The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Steven Pinker, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. Copy them, print them, or bring them up one at a time.
The Blank Slate is Steven Pinker's comprehensive attack on what he calls the three linked doctrines that dominated twentieth-century thinking about human nature: the Blank Slate (the mind begins without innate content and is formed entirely by experience), the Noble Savage (humans are naturally peaceful and corrupted only by civilization), and the Ghost in the Machine (the mind is separable from the body and exempt from natural laws).
Steven Pinker · 2002 · 11h 0m
Full summary and key takeaways →The 12 questions
- 1.
Pinker argues that the Blank Slate persists not because of evidence but because of political fears about what acknowledging human nature would justify. Do you find that claim convincing?
- 2.
The behavior genetics finding — that parenting style barely affects adult personality — is among the most disturbing in the book for many readers. What does it change, if true, about how you think about parenting?
- 3.
Pinker distinguishes between acknowledging that humans have aggressive impulses and endorsing those impulses. Do you think that distinction holds in practice in political debates?
- 4.
The book argues that human universals — things found in all cultures — are evidence for evolved human nature. Can you think of a potential universal that Pinker doesn't mention? One that seems genuinely absent in some cultures?
- 5.
Gender differences are one of the most contested sections. What is your prior belief about the origin of behavioral differences between men and women, and did reading this chapter shift it?
- 6.
If children are shaped more by peers and genes than by parenting, what should parents actually focus their energy on, in your view?
- 7.
Pinker argues that political progressivism has been distorted by the Blank Slate. Are there equivalent distortions he underweights on the political right?
- 8.
The naturalistic fallacy — inferring how things should be from how they are — is a recurring concern. Can you think of a real policy debate where you've seen this fallacy operating?
- 9.
The book was published in 2002. Which arguments have been strengthened by subsequent research? Which have been weakened or complicated?
- 10.
Pinker is a combative writer who names enemies and ridicules opposing positions. Does his rhetorical style affect your confidence in the underlying argument?
- 11.
The Noble Savage doctrine — that humans are naturally peaceful and corrupted only by civilization — was challenged by archaeological and anthropological evidence of pre-state violence. Does Pinker's account of violence in pre-state societies match what you expected?
- 12.
If innate human tendencies toward tribalism, in-group favoritism, and status competition are real, what institutions and practices can effectively counteract them?
How to run the discussion
- Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
- Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
- Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
- Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.
Themes worth steering toward
If the conversation stalls, these are the threads that usually restart it.
Common questions
What are good book club questions for The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature?
Here are 12 book club questions for The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Steven Pinker, ordered to open easily and end somewhere worth arguing about. The strongest openers ask what each reader noticed rather than what they concluded, and the discussion usually turns on human nature, nature vs nurture, evolutionary psychology.
How long should a book club discussion of The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature last?
Most groups run 60 to 90 minutes of actual discussion. That is roughly six to eight questions, not all of them, so pick the ones that suit your group rather than working down the list in order.
What are the main themes in The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature?
Human nature, Nature vs nurture, Evolutionary psychology, Politics and biology, Behavior genetics. Those are the threads most likely to divide a room, which makes them the useful places to steer a discussion that has gone quiet.
Picking the next one? See books like The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature or questions for other book club picks.
