#10 in Nature & environment
The Better Angels of Our Nature
- 802
- Pages
- about 15 h
- Reading time
- NYT bestseller · 3 weeks on the list, peaked at #7
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About the book
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined is a 2011 book by Steven Pinker, in which the author argues that violence in the world has declined in both the short and the long term and attempts to explain why. The book uses data documenting declining violence across time and geography. This paints a picture of massive declines in the violence of all forms, from war, to improved treatment of children. He highlights the role of nation-state monopolies on force, of commerce, of increased literacy and communication, as well as a rise in a rational problem-solving orientation as possible causes of this decline in violence. He notes that paradoxically, our impression of violence has not tracked this decline, perhaps because of increased communication, and that further decline is not inevitable, but is contingent on forces harnessing our better motivations such as empathy and increases in reason.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 7.7 across 91 ratings — not yet many, so the reader vote carries 38% of the weight and the rest pulls toward the Nature & environment average of 8.1. That is how 8.0 comes out.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 7.6 | 11 | 12% |
| Hardcover | 7.7 | 80 | 88% |
Frequently asked
How long is The Better Angels of Our Nature?
It has 802 pages — longer than 92% of the ranked books in Nature & environment.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Nature & environment — with scores between 7.8 and 8.7, closest to this book.
