Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

work by Pinker

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress is a 2018 book by Steven Pinker. The book argues that humanity has made significant progress due to reason, science, and humanism. Pinker, a cognitive psychologist, contends that these forces have led to a decline in violence and an increase in well-being.123

The book draws upon the intellectual traditions of the Enlightenment, a European movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, knowledge, freedom, and happiness. It also aligns with the principles of humanism, which places central emphasis on the human realm and its potential. Pinker uses data and historical analysis to support his optimistic view of human progress.42315

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Steven Pinker
…the early 21st century in Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (2018). In The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century (2014), Pinker prescribed effective writing techniques while acknowledging and defending the necessary elasticity of language and grammar. Rationality: What…
Read More
…the early 21st century in Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (2018). In The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century (2014), Pinker prescribed effective writing techniques while acknowledging and defending the necessary elasticity of language and grammar. Rationality: What…
Read More