2025 Beyond Annual Lecture with Steven Pinker

The Beyond Annual Lecture is our premier public event of the year. We ask a scientist or philosopher of international standing to offer a reflective account of their work and interests, and invite them to speculate a little bit "beyond" their normal comfort zone. This year, we are excited to welcome Harvard University Professor, Steven Pinker to give the lecture!

Today, humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding—and at the same time appears to be losing its mind.  Why do we find ourselves flooded with fake news, medical quackery, conspiracy theorizing, and “post-truth” rhetoric?  Why do we fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning our best thinkers have discovered over the millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation, and optimal ways to update our beliefs?  And how does the rational pursuit of self-interest, sectarian solidarity, and uplifting mythology by individuals add up to crippling irrationality in a society?  Join cognitive psychologist and popular science author Steven Pinker as he discusses why rationality matters, how it leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and how it is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress.

The lecture is free and open to the public; however, registration is required.

Marston Theater is located at 781 S Terrace Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281 in the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building 4 (ISTB4).

Access to a paid parking garage is located at Rural Rd. and Terrace Rd. between University Drive and Apache Blvd.  From the parking garage, walk west to the ISTB4 building and enter through the glass doors on the north side.