Old School with Shilo Brooks What Steven Pinker Taught this Pro Bodybuilder about Genetics
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Oct 16, 2025 
Mike Israetel, an exercise scientist and competitive bodybuilder, shares how Steven Pinker's *The Blank Slate* transformed his views on genetics and coaching. He argues that embracing our biological limits can lead to better training outcomes and humility in athletes' expectations. Israetel emphasizes the importance of a science-based approach to diet, criticizing fad fitness trends and advocating for foundational principles. He discusses how genetics shapes human potential and the need for realistic goals, while also providing practical advice for sustainable training.
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Discovery Of The Blank Slate
- Mike found The Blank Slate in college via Larry Elder's book list and devoured it like a kid in a science museum.
- The book repeatedly produced revelatory moments that reshaped his worldview.
Three Myths Pinker Refutes
- Pinker rejects three myths: the blank slate, the noble savage, and the ghost in the machine.
- He shows we are neither infinitely malleable, purely good by nature, nor guided by a separate soul.
Blank Slate As Wish, Not Evidence
- The blank-slate view often starts as a hopeful wish and then cherry-picks data.
- Pinker documents limits of neuroplasticity and why humans aren't infinitely malleable.
