Steven Pinker

Psychologist Steven Pinker unravels the enigmas of language and the human mind while sporting a truly luxurious philosofro.NEXT >>

by

Jason Gots

December 21, 2011

Get the Big Think newsletter on Substack

Psychologist Steven Pinker unravels the enigmas of language and the human mind while sporting a truly luxurious philosofro.

NEXT >>

Editor/Creative Producer, Big Think

Monthly Issue May 2026

The Power of Play

In this monthly issue, we take a closer look at how games, imagination, and creative experimentation shape identity and culture.

1 video 15 articles

Two hands are positioned on either side of a red circle against a plain white background.

Go deeper with Big Think Classes

A geometric composition with green, pink, and blue overlapping shapes, each containing intricate, vintage anatomical line drawings on a textured background.

How to Outsmart Your Biases

Multiple Instructors

Related Content

How AI is quietly changing what we think the human mind is

Neuroscientist Anil Seth on the deep differences between human minds and artificial ones.

by Shai Tubali

A digital illustration of a human brain outlined in white, composed of circuit-like lines, set against a black background with scattered white dots resembling stars.

From Pong to 18 quintillion planets: The evolution of video game play spaces

From early arcades to AI-generated worlds, video games have continually expanded the “magic circle” of play.

by Kevin Dickinson

A sketch of a human figure bending over and looking at three overlapping pink magic-circles on a plain white background.

Mind & Behavior

Why play brings us pleasure

New research suggests fun isn’t a distraction from learning — it’s the brain’s way of rewarding us for navigating uncertainty, discovering patterns, and staying mentally alive.

by Alex Hutchinson

Illustration of a brain with legs standing on a platform, surrounded by yellow rays and red and yellow dots on a pink background.

Mini Philosophy

How gamification can ruin your life

The cartoon owl wants to have a word.

by Jonny Thomson

A silhouette of a seated person with colorful gaming achievement icons, such as trophies and badges, where their head would be, on a green background.

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.