How the Mind Works

By: Steven Pinker

Narrated by: Mel Foster

Length: 26 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

In this delightful, acclaimed best seller, one of the world’s leading cognitive scientists tackles the workings of the human mind. What makes us rational—and why are we so often irrational? How do we see in three dimensions? What makes us happy, afraid, angry, disgusted, or sexually aroused? Why do we fall in love? And how do we grapple with the imponderables of morality, religion, and consciousness?

How the Mind Works synthesizes the most satisfying explanations of our mental life from cognitive science, evolutionary biology, and other fields to explain what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and contemplate the mysteries of life. This new edition of Pinker’s bold and buoyant classic is updated with a new foreword by the author.

©2011 Steven Pinker (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Undeniably brilliant.” ( Newsday)

"Big, brash, and a lot of fun.” ( Time)

“Hugely entertaining.... always sparkling and provoking.” ( Wall Street Journal)

Complete

A thorough analysis of the mind. Not just what, but why. Not just Pepsi and paint thinner

A Rich and Insightful Landmark Tome

Although the length seems daunting, every chapter was methodically built up and carefully explained in fascinating detail , at most times it was difficult to put down. Pinker has a gift for breaking abstract concepts into concrete metaphors, accumulating multiple lessons as if I feel like I finished a course in the computational theory of the mind. I highly recommend this book to anyone, it is well worth the time.

Some of it was good

Some of it still applies even in 2023
Some parts were hard to get through
The younger generation won’t know what he’s talking about when he gets to the part seeing something pop out of the art you stare at

Relevant to better understanding.

Meaningful information and definitely worth listening. The book does get off into the weeds at times which added to the length. it could be much less verbose and still convey the message, maybe an abridged version.

Lots of Food for Thought

This is a long book. Fortunately with Audible I was able to listen to it in about a week and a half. Mel Foster is an excellent narrator. Although I can't say that I grasped or agreed with every subject Pinker tackled in this volume, he certainly gives you plenty to think about. As a Christian I found Pinker's promotion of natural selection as the "creator" of all living matter unsupported and weak in evidence. Common ancestry or common creator? Nevertheless the discussion of psychology and thought development was quite interesting.

Outstsnding author reveals human Mind

What did you love best about How the Mind Works?

The author explors the subject in many unique ways. He opens the reader's mind to show how it works.

What did you like best about this story?

His quirkey humor

Which character – as performed by Mel Foster – was your favorite?

The reader is excellent. Every word is clear.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A ride through the brain to explore the mind.

Any additional comments?

This is our second Pinker book. A gifted researcher, a brilliant mind, and an interesting writer.

Brilliant!

Best non-fiction book I've digested this year. Linker is insightful, sharp and sympathetic in equal measures.

Great book

Nice balance og science, stories and prose. Pinker covers a lot of ground and gives practical as well as theoretical information

Mind altering read

Another interesting read by Pinker. Layman's look at neuroscience and evolutionary biology to understand why people think and act the way they do.

Overall a good book.

I do feel like he is a bit too wedded to the selfish gene theory of evolution. So he got a bit reductionist at times. This was most notable in Chapter 7 when he talked about the family, marriage the gender dynamic.

Still, Pinker is always interesting to read/listen to.

And the narrator did him justice.