Do we inherit our "human nature" or are we born as a "blank slate" upon which society, environment and our own actions all make their mark?
This fascinating question provides the theme for a new book by noted author and academic Steven Pinker, entitled The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature, published by Penguin.
Pinker is to deliver a Science Today lecture about the book in Dublin, the latest in the ongoing lecture series organised by The Irish Times and the Royal Dublin Society.
For this series of lectures, world-class Irish and international speakers are invited to deliver public lectures geared to the non-specialist. They are given in ordinary language and explain the latest developments in scientific research.
Author of The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works, Pinker is professor of psychology in the department of brain and cognitive sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.
In his latest work, he dismisses the "blank slate" doctrine that currently holds sway. He argues that this theory denies human nature and a humanity common to us all.
The lecture takes place next Thursday, September 26th, beginning at 7 p.m. in the RDS Library. Tickets for the event are free, but places must be booked in advance because of limited space. Bookings may be made by contacting Annette McDonnell at the RDS (tel: 01-2407217; e-mail: Annette.McDonnell@rds.ie).