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

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.

Brilliant insight; still relevant today!

This would be my second 'reading' of this book. And as a non academic person with a business education, I still didn't fully understand every point made. However, I'm making strides I think.

First of all, this book is an excellent, if somewhat technical, primer on the general way the human mind works. But that's not the whole story.

As a book on evolutionary psychology, it introduces plausible and proven theories of why certain behaviours exist. It relies heavily on concepts from books such as The Selfish Gene. So an interest in genetics and evolution is necessary.

The delivery/reading was intelligent and passionate. Kind of like that friendly, and lively old professor everyone liked at school.

Overall, a solid recommendation for anyone interested in the origins of human behaviour and psychology.

Life-changing book

Where does How the Mind Works rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 3 ever.

Any additional comments?

This book has launched me into an existential crisis. I read it 6 months ago, and I'm beginning to come out at the other end. Pinker A few parts are tedious on audio (e.g. computational theory), but Pinker makes up for it with a great sense of humor throughout the rest of the book.

Change your ideas about ideas

If you could sum up How the Mind Works in three words, what would they be?

A great, easy to digest, and thorough walk through of cognitive processes. Humorous when it needs to be. Well put together.

Don’t major in Psychology; read this book instead

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students across colleges and universities spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a degree in Psychology. After four or five years and four or five figures of student debt, ask them how the mind works. They won’t have the slightest clue. They could have saved time and money by reading this book. #SaveAPsychMajor;ReadThisBook

Great Book

Learn about why we do the things we do too. It’s amazing how are minds have evolved over a relatively short time in existence.

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.