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Steven Pinker on Progress

Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, explains to Philip Dodd why he's optimistic as health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge & happiness are rising.

We should ignore newspaper headlines, believe that things are getting better and defend Enlightenment values. That's the message from Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He debates his defence of progress and his optimistic outlook with Philip Dodd. Plus culture wars in Britain. Are the divisions we are seeing today different to previous culture wars? Eliza Filby, Alex Massie & Tarjinder Gill debate.

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker is out now.

Eliza Filby is the author of God and Mrs Thatcher and a Visiting Lecturer at Kings College, London.
Alex Massie is Scotland Editor of The Spectator and a columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times
Tarjinder Gill is a writer and teacher who blogs on race and identity issues at AllinBritain.

Producer: Robyn Read

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45 minutes

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