Language is a vehicle for exchanging ideas and information with other people, which makes language one of the most valuable things in the universe. And while words may be used to influence and persuade, they are better understood as tools of communication. But words are also infused with deep meaning and concepts based not only on nurture but also nature. These are just a few of the big ideas in Steven Pinker's latest book The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature. And as Pinker is fond of pointing out, these ideas are not mere academic exercises. In fact, they have serious practical implications, and much of what can be learned in this book is applicable not only to language lovers, but to scholars and social critics who work in the fields of rhetoric, professional writing, and intercultural writing.
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