史蒂文· 平克 (Steven Pinker): 常识如何改变世界

常识如何改变世界

常识是社会生活的秘密引擎，帮助我们协调一切，从见面到市场，再到国际外交。在这个绝妙的演讲中，实验认知科学家史蒂文· 平克 (Steven Pinker)探讨了其重大影响，关于为什么独裁者害怕空白标志，中央银行家喃喃自语，以及为什么直接说出言外之意会破坏友谊的故事。他用智慧邀请我们更好地了解人们进入彼此头脑的方式——以及当共同的认识动摇意味着什么。

Harmony in human life depends on more than individual understanding; it hinges on what everyone knows that everyone else knows. A single boy announcing the emperor's nakedness transformed private suspicions into public truth, instantly shifting social dynamics. From money to political protest, shared assumptions create the foundation for coordination, trust, and even rebellion. When common knowledge falters, so do the invisible agreements that keep communities, economies, and nations running smoothly.

Common Knowledge Shapes Societies, Markets, And Relationships

Human harmony depends on more than individual awareness; it relies on common knowledge, where everyone knows that everyone else knows a fact. One child’s blunt observation in 'The Emperor's New Clothes' shifted an entire crowd from deference to ridicule, revealing the force of shared awareness. From marketplaces run on money's mutual trust to silent protests that unsettle autocrats, the logic of common knowledge quietly shapes relationships and global stability. When these unspoken agreements falter, even the most basic norms can unravel.

Common Knowledge Powers Cooperation, Revolutions, And Social Norms

Social harmony depends on more than what people know individually; it hinges on what everyone knows that everyone else knows. When a child exposed the emperor's nakedness, he transformed private knowledge into public truth, shifting the crowd from deference to scorn. Common knowledge enables coordination in everything from finding a friend in a city to sparking revolutions and fueling financial bubbles. Even a blank protest sign or a whispered euphemism can change relationships and upend social order.