--- product_id: 296996619 title: "Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters" price: "NT$766" currency: TWD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tw/products/296996619-rationality-what-it-is-why-it-seems-scarce-why-it store_origin: TW region: Taiwan --- # Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters **Price:** NT$766 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters - **How much does it cost?** NT$766 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tw](https://www.desertcart.tw/products/296996619-rationality-what-it-is-why-it-seems-scarce-why-it) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “In our uncertain age, which can so often feel so dark and disturbing, Steven Pinker has distinguished himself as a voice of positivity.” – New York Times Can reading a book make you more rational? Can it help us understand why there is so much irrationality in the world? Steven Pinker, author of Enlightenment Now (Bill Gates’s "new favorite book of all time”) answers all the questions here Today humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding--and also appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing? Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply irrational--cavemen out of time saddled with biases, fallacies, and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives, and set out the benchmarks for rationality itself. We actually think in ways that are sensible in the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we’ve discovered over the millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation, and optimal ways to update beliefs and commit to choices individually and with others. These tools are not a standard part of our education, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book--until now. Rationality also explores its opposite: how the rational pursuit of self-interest, sectarian solidarity, and uplifting mythology can add up to crippling irrationality in a society. Collective rationality depends on norms that are explicitly designed to promote objectivity and truth. Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with Pinker’s customary insight and humor, Rationality will enlighten, inspire, and empower. Review: Excellent book, everyone should read this even if you don't like Pinker - Rationality by Steven Pinker is one of those must-read books that is as relevant today as it was 10 years ago and will be 10 years from now. It talk about principles that every adult should know but unfortunately they don't get taught at school in an organized manner. This book shouldn't be viewed as a "liberal" book which I'm afraid happens too much these days, even books are polarized for some reason. It's a book about how we should aim to think if we want to live a reasonable life. I would frame the book as the next step to the much-loved and appreciated book "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman, one of my favourite living scientists. His book changed how we think about human thinking and this books develops on it. It covers a broader range of concepts that we use in daily life from Probability vs Propensity, Randomness, Risk vs Reward, exponential growth, utility theory, game theory, correlation vs causation, rationality in Social Justice and so on. I must say it's an impressive range of ideas in one book but it makes sense to read about all this in one place as these topics are very linked but we often only read about discreet pieces as they cut through a broad range of science fields. He starts by arguing that human beings are not simply "irrational" by evolution. It goes into details on what Rationality means, how it's different and more ecological than from logic or theoretical reason, how our common sense in-built into us through millenia of living with other people relies on rationality and how important it is to our daily lives beyond our divides and cliques. I think what's good about Pinker's books is that he is not afraid to take a stance and it means he is ok with critics talking about what he might've got wrong, he doesn't claim to get it all right, the book says on several occasions that rationality in the end is an unreachable ideal but the more people work collectively towards it, the better chance society has to find it. I'm sure religious people will have objections to this book as Pinker is a staunch atheist and has come across as too hard-headed on this topic in his previous books talking about religion's history with violence. Again, the idea is to keep an open mind and use the book as a tool to expand our understanding of the world. Five stars! Review: Rejoice ... our world is better than ever ... and getting better. - Can't add more value to the trove of positive reviews posted. Merely meriting 5 stars to further boost its deserved ranking among the better books of its ilk. Enjoy! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #43,694 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #23 in Sociology of Social Theory #100 in Popular Social Psychology & Interactions #102 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,081 Reviews | ## Images ![Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71bPGS2igrL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent book, everyone should read this even if you don't like Pinker *by N***L on January 31, 2022* Rationality by Steven Pinker is one of those must-read books that is as relevant today as it was 10 years ago and will be 10 years from now. It talk about principles that every adult should know but unfortunately they don't get taught at school in an organized manner. This book shouldn't be viewed as a "liberal" book which I'm afraid happens too much these days, even books are polarized for some reason. It's a book about how we should aim to think if we want to live a reasonable life. I would frame the book as the next step to the much-loved and appreciated book "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman, one of my favourite living scientists. His book changed how we think about human thinking and this books develops on it. It covers a broader range of concepts that we use in daily life from Probability vs Propensity, Randomness, Risk vs Reward, exponential growth, utility theory, game theory, correlation vs causation, rationality in Social Justice and so on. I must say it's an impressive range of ideas in one book but it makes sense to read about all this in one place as these topics are very linked but we often only read about discreet pieces as they cut through a broad range of science fields. He starts by arguing that human beings are not simply "irrational" by evolution. It goes into details on what Rationality means, how it's different and more ecological than from logic or theoretical reason, how our common sense in-built into us through millenia of living with other people relies on rationality and how important it is to our daily lives beyond our divides and cliques. I think what's good about Pinker's books is that he is not afraid to take a stance and it means he is ok with critics talking about what he might've got wrong, he doesn't claim to get it all right, the book says on several occasions that rationality in the end is an unreachable ideal but the more people work collectively towards it, the better chance society has to find it. I'm sure religious people will have objections to this book as Pinker is a staunch atheist and has come across as too hard-headed on this topic in his previous books talking about religion's history with violence. Again, the idea is to keep an open mind and use the book as a tool to expand our understanding of the world. Five stars! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rejoice ... our world is better than ever ... and getting better. *by M***L on March 5, 2026* Can't add more value to the trove of positive reviews posted. Merely meriting 5 stars to further boost its deserved ranking among the better books of its ilk. Enjoy! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rational Thinking and Why it is so Important *by B***Y on January 2, 2023* Rationality, the use of reason, and the thought processes that relate to them seem to be in short supply. With advances in science and other breakthroughs, rational thinking should be at an all- time high, but it is not. The problems with human thinking and bias and the different reasons why rationality is not used as much as it should is the basis of this book, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters. This book covers many pieces of the rational thinking puzzle, explaining what it is, what it is not, and why it is so seemingly difficult for some people to grasp. Sections of the book discuss such topics as critical thinking, logic, correlation and causation, game theory, and much more. Probably the most valuable parts of this book are the ones on risk/reward and the section that covers the understanding and interpretation of probabilities. With risk and reward, one doesn’t have to look around or search for very long to see all the ways that humans behave irrationally. One example the book mentions is the tendency of people to purchase costly extended warranties that will likely never be used or, if they are used, will not be worth the price paid. Another is the understanding of percentage chance and what it really means. How many people do you know who think if the weather forecast is 51% or better chance for rain that it absolutely will rain, or 49% or worse that it won’t rain? These interpretations, and others like them, are irrational yet we see and hear them regularly. My personal favorite part of the book is the section that discusses probabilities. Humans have a very poor understanding of how probabilities work and this makes it easy for politicians, business leaders, and others to manipulate data. My only issue with this part of the book is that it doesn’t offer enough examples. Getting people to understand how probability works isn’t easy and some of the book’s explanations, while accurate, will not make sense to most readers. Direct, illustrated examples would have made this part of the book even better. Why people behave the way they do and resist rational thinking is touched on in the last section of the book. Whether it’s personal bias, religious beliefs, loyalty to one’s political affiliation, or something else, there are a myriad of reasons why people behave irrationally. Moving the people of the world in a more rational direction isn’t going to be easy, as such a high percentage of us have these personal biases and refuse to let them go. Rational thinking is important. As a society, we would all be better off if people made more rational decisions. Steven Pinker’s book is a good primer on rationality and why it’s so important. There are a few small changes I would make, but this is otherwise an important and valuable book that will benefit most anyone who reads it. ## Frequently Bought Together - Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters - Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress - The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tw/products/296996619-rationality-what-it-is-why-it-seems-scarce-why-it](https://www.desertcart.tw/products/296996619-rationality-what-it-is-why-it-seems-scarce-why-it) --- *Product available on Desertcart Taiwan* *Store origin: TW* *Last updated: 2026-06-12*