b. 1954
Steven Pinker is a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist and linguist, widely known for his work on language acquisition, visual cognition, and the decline of violence in human history. He has made significant contributions to the public understanding of evolutionary psychology and cognitive science, and has engaged with philosophical debates on the nature of language, mind, and morality.
Developed influential theories of language acquisition and the language instinct
Authored 'The Better Angels of Our Nature' arguing for historical decline of violence
Advanced computational theory of mind and visual cognition
Prominent public intellectual bridging cognitive science and philosophy of mind
Contributed to debates on linguistic nativism and the nature of concepts