Harvard Prof Steven Pinker on the Mysteries of Knowledge, Money and Power
Date: Wednesday, October 15
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Rotman School of Management - Desautels Hall
105 St. George Street
You are invited for an author discussion and meet-and-greet and book signing with Prof Steven Pinker.
REGISTER HERE
Code: HARVARD15
Discount: 15% off regular-priced tickets
To redeem, enter HARVARD15 at checkout in the registration section at the very bottom of the event page and the discount will apply.
IN-PERSON ONLY EVENT
Agenda:
5:30 pm - Author discussion and moderated Q&A
6:30 pm - Following the conversation, we invite you to join us for a meet-and-greet with the author and book signing.
Book Synopsis:
From one of the world’s most celebrated intellectuals, a brilliantly insightful work that explains how we think about each other’s thoughts about each other’s thoughts, ad infinitum. It sounds impossible, but Steven Pinker shows that we do it all the time. This awareness, which we experience as something that is public or “out there,” is called common knowledge, and it has a momentous impact on our social, political, and economic lives.
Common knowledge is necessary for coordination, for making arbitrary but complementary choices like driving on the right, using paper currency, and coalescing behind a political leader or movement. It’s also necessary for social coordination: everything from rendezvousing at a time and place to speaking the same language to forming enduring relationships of friendship, romance, or authority. Humans have a sixth sense for common knowledge, and we create it with signals like laughter, tears, blushing, eye contact, and blunt speech.