The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
- Public Event
WHY IS SO MUCH WRITING SO BAD, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do people write badly on purpose, to obfuscate and impress? Have dictionaries abandoned their responsibility to safeguard correct usage? Do kids today even care about good writing?
In his latest book, the Harvard linguist, cognitive scientist, bestselling author (The Language Instinct, How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate and The Better Angels of Our Nature) and chair of the Usage Panel of The American Heritage Dictionary, Dr. Steven Pinker, answers these questions and more. Pinker applies insights from the sciences of language and mind to the challenge of crafting clear, coherent and stylish prose. Filled with examples of great and gruesome modern prose, The Sense of Style shows how the art of writing can be a form of pleasurable mastery and a fascinating intellectual topic in its own right, that is also informed by science.
A book signing will follow the lecture.
Caltech/JPL Family: Avoid service and handling fees by ordering your tickets directly from the Caltech Ticket Office, either by phone or in person.
Learn More: The Skeptics Society
Credit: Rebecca Goldstein
