Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker is facing criticism for appearing on the Aporia podcast, an outlet whose owners advocate for race science and seek 'legitimation by association.' Critics, including anti-racism non-profits and academics, condemn Pinker's appearance for normalizing 'dangerous, discredited ideas' and lending Harvard's credibility to a platform connected to far-right extremists and eugenicists. This incident follows a pattern of controversy regarding Pinker's associations with proponents of 'human biodiversity.'
Harvard author Steven Pinker appears on podcast linked to scientific racism
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker is facing criticism for appearing on the Aporia podcast, an outlet whose owners advocate for race science and seek 'legitimation by association.' Critics, including anti-racism non-profits and academics, condemn Pinker's appearance for normalizing 'dangerous, discredited ideas' and lending Harvard's credibility to a platform connected to far-right extremists and eugenicists. This incident follows a pattern of controversy regarding Pinker's associations with proponents of 'human biodiversity.'
Trending- 1 Early 20th century: Edward Thorndike's quote on selective breeding
- 2 2016: Noah Carl attended London Conference on Intelligence and wrote paper on anti-immigrant stereotypes
- 3 2017: Helmuth Nyborg spoke to the white nationalist American Renaissance conference
- 4 2019: Noah Carl dismissed from Cambridge fellowship
- 5 2021: Academic study led by UCLA identified Pinker as legitimizing human biodiversity movement
- 6 2022: Human Diversity Foundation founded in Wyoming
- 7 October (last year): The Guardian revealed Aporia's network and secret funding by Andrew Conru
- 8 This week: Steven Pinker's hour-long recording published on Aporia podcast
- Normalization and spread of dangerous, discredited ideas
- Damage to Pinker's reputation and Harvard's credibility
- Increased scrutiny of the 'human biodiversity' movement
- Potential for attracting new followers to extremist outlets
What: Harvard psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker appeared on the Aporia podcast, an outlet whose owners advocate for race science and have connections to far-right extremists, leading to condemnation for legitimizing 'dangerous, discredited ideas'.
When: The hour-long recording was published 'this week'.
Where: Harvard University (Pinker's affiliation), Silicon Valley (funding/support for race science), Germany (Erik Ahrens designated extremist), Wyoming (Human Diversity Foundation LLC), Cambridge (Noah Carl's former fellowship), London (London Conference on Intelligence), University of Aarhus (Helmuth Nyborg's suspension).
Why: Pinker's appearance is seen as an effort by Aporia's owners to gain 'legitimation by association' for their race science agenda, and it contributes to the normalization and spread of dangerous, discredited ideas.
How: Pinker engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on the podcast, expressing agreement with claims from figures like Charles Murray. His appearance is part of a broader pattern of his association with proponents of 'human biodiversity' and scientific racism.