How much of your behavior, your talents, and your shortcomings is determined by your genes, and how much is determined by your upbringing and cultural enviroment? Is the predominance of men over women in mathematics, physical science, and engineering due mainly to biologically-based sex differences or to social bias? These fascinating and politically loaded questions are eloquently addressed in Steven Pinker's book entitled, "The Blank Slate: A Modern Denial of Human Nature." (Viking Press, 2002). In the first year of its publication, this book made the non-fiction best sellers list in the New York Times and was selected by the Los Angeles Times Book Review as one of the top 50 non-fiction books for that year. An expert in brain function, behavior, and language, this Harvard professor addresses and challenges a number of issues dealing with human nature from the perspective of dispassionate biological evidence, and in doing so, often challenges many of the "politically correct" assumptions made in the popular press and in academia. This seminar will meet one hour per week to discuss selected chapters from this highly regarded book.
