Steven Pinker, the Harvard University cognitive scientist, linguist, and bestselling popular science author, is among the prominent intellectuals documented in the Epstein orbit.
The Connection
Pinker flew on Epstein’s private aircraft on at least one occasion. After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Pinker disclosed he had traveled on the plane in connection with providing expert testimony in a legal case — specifically that Epstein’s attorney Alan Dershowitz had recruited him to testify in a case, and he accepted an offer to travel on Epstein’s jet as part of that arrangement.
Pinker’s Account
Pinker stated that he had minimal social contact with Epstein himself, and that his use of Epstein’s aircraft was a practical decision when offered free transportation for testimony work connected to Dershowitz, not an indication of a personal friendship with Epstein.
The Dershowitz Connection
The Pinker-Epstein connection passed through Alan Dershowitz, highlighting how Epstein’s social tentacles often reached prominent figures indirectly through intermediaries. Dershowitz’s extensive academic connections at Harvard provided pathways to numerous intellectuals who would not otherwise have been in Epstein’s orbit.
Broader Pattern
Pinker’s case is one of several prominent Harvard academics who had some form of documented connection to Epstein, reinforcing Harvard’s identification as a particular concentration point in Epstein’s academic network alongside MIT.
Significance
The Pinker connection illustrates how Epstein leveraged his association with prominent intellectual figures — sometimes through indirect connections rather than direct funding — to build his identity as a patron of serious intellectual work.