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Enlightenment Now

The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Is modernity really failing? Or have we failed to appreciate progress and the ideals that make it possible?

If you follow the headlines, the world in the 21st century appears to be sinking into chaos, hatred and irrationality. Yet, as Steven Pinker shows, if you follow the trendlines, you discover that our lives have become longer, healthier, safer and more prosperous - not just in the West but worldwide.

Such progress is no accident: it's the gift of a coherent value system that many of us embrace without even realising it. These are the values of the Enlightenment: of reason, science, humanism and progress. The challenges we face today are formidable. But the way to deal with them is not to sink into despair or try to lurch back to a mythical idyllic past; it's to treat them as problems we can solve, as we have solved other problems in the past. This is the case for an Enlightenment newly recharged for the 21st century.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio on our desktop site.

© Steven Pinker 2018 (P) Penguin Audio 2018

 21st Century Consciousness & Thought History & Philosophy Modern Movements Philosophy Political Science Politics & Government Science Society Socialism Capitalism Thought-Provoking Inspiring Humanism Liberalism Middle East Economic disparity Taxation Social justice Africa Economic Inequality Iran China

Critic reviews

My new favourite book of all time (Bill Gates)
Exhilarating, magnificent, uplifting
This is the biggest story of our time. It's about the many ways in which the world is improving, and why we don't believe it (Fraser Nelson)
Pinker is right. Not just a bit right, but completely, utterly, incontrovertibly right ... for most people, life is better, even if they don't realise it (Dominic Sandbrook)
Awesome. The confidence with which Pinker tears through the issues that cause such deep anxiety today is compelling (William Davies)
A characteristically fluent, decisive and data-rich demonstration of why, given the chance to live at any point in human history, only a stone-cold idiot would choose any time other than the present (Sam Leith)
A new, optimistic view of the world ... Things are not as bad as your Facebook news feed makes them seem ... a cheerful, contrarian tract for dark times (Niall Ferguson)
A goldmine of startling graphs and killer facts about the way we live now. Everyone should read this book and, just for once, be enthralled by what humankind has achieved (Iain Macwhirter)
Brimming with surprising data and entertaining anecdotes ... a genuinely enlightening book (Jan-Werner Müller)
Today we are living healthier, wealthier lives - and it's thanks to the values of the Enlightenment ... a passionate book in praise of Enlightenment values (David Aaronovitch)
All stars
Most relevant
preachy ending - dull beginning - but the middle section and all the facts contained are worth the read - some excellent facts backed with data that prove we should all smile a little more based on the knowledge we truly have never had it so good. real pity about the end section as it almost ruined the book

the middle is worth the read

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Found it difficult to stay enthused during the audiobook as it seemed to drag on. Lots of references to charts and data which would be easier to follow when reading the book. Great points made and well articulated however. Would ultimately suggest that this is more suited to a book than audiobook.

Great content but a hard slog as an audiobook

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The most fascinating part of this book is getting so many facts (but simply communicated) that help you form your own conclusions about the evolution of human societies and its impact on the different realms of our lives.

Recommend listening. Last third is harder to follow in audio as it requires a bit more processing.

Makes you think

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I would definitely recommend giving it a go. Down to earth, well argumented outlook on modern society.

Very interesting listen.

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A great book to put the doom and gloom portrayed by the modern media and other sources into context.

Eye-opening narrative about human progress and history

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