Sheldon Solomon - Teach These Souls to Fly (Part 1 (of 9))

Sheldon Solomon talks about Ernest Becker's The Denial of Death (1973) to explain how fear of death, and denial thereof, is a central determinant of human behavior. He and his colleagues created Terror Management Theory and demonstrated empirically that death denial underlies human prejudice and violent conflict. More important for this talk, however, is research suggesting that the enabling and ennobling illusions of religion/spirituality have psychologically beneficial effects. These findings are at odds with current thinking by evolutionary psychologists that supernatural religious beliefs are non-adaptive or intrinsically malignant. See www.ernestbecker.org for more information.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• death
• dying
• fear
• Becker
• terror
• management
• religion

[GnosisMan50]

Man! It's so upsetting to have a chance to hear Solomon share his thoughts on Becker only to have those who created the video ruin it by talking in the background and failing to remove the echo effect.

I'd be willing to PAY a fee for Solomon's teachings provided they were made more professionally-he deserves it!

[akgregor]

6:10 ; actual speach begins

[logotrix]

Is there anyway of editing the sound on these kinds of files? Whoever has the wherewithall to do this - encourage you to share your intelligence.

[logotrix]

brilliant, adorable, genius - got meet this man.

[ryanplacide]

I was intrigued by the comments and i bought the book it brought an insightfull view and even help me deal with the realities of life in a more observable fashion nice to have such representation for some one that can edifiy humanity in such a profound was. Hats off

[ToddBoyle]

This is a fabulous talk, if you listen to the main segments!! The talk begins HALFWAY through this segment, and its finished about halfway through the 8th segment. This is very very useful knowledge for all of us humans!

[jinacarvalho1]

wonderful

[GnosisMan50]

That's why i said I'd be wiling to pay provided the video was edited with the same care and attention as Dr. Sheldon did for his lecure. Dr. Sheldon is a superb proffesor and his command of the english language, his humor, and his abiltiy to express profound ideas is a great inspiration to me in my own writing.

At any rate, I meant no insult to those who made the video. and should they ask for funds to make a better videos for prof. like Sheldon I'd be happy to pay for it..

[GnosisMan50]

Whoa Seandeyoung01! you need to relax ! I could reply with anger too but that would only make this issue worse. You missed my last point. i said that Dr. Sheldon DESERVES better and for that matter all of us deserve better considering what Dr. Sheldon is sharing with us and the the poor quality of the video was distracting from his lecure .This may not bother you but it bothers me a great deal.

[seandeyoung01]

What I find upsetting is reading a comment from you and having to be subjected to your ungrateful attitude and entitlement issues. Did you pay the poster anything for his efforts in creating and sharing this video? Did you contribue anything at all? No you didn't! It may come as a surprise to you but the world doesn't owe you one damn thing and certainly not everything just precisely how you want it. I hate people people like you that just take and never give anything back but malice.

[polkadotbox2]

The fact that people generally do not want to die (even when dying from cancer), shows that in their heart, they really don't believe in an after life.

Fear of death is the trump card of all religions. While people are afraid to die, they are more likely to seek an escape from death, even in form of a promise to live on blissfully thereafter.

I'm in the middle of my life (hopefully), with a wonderful past and years of happiness to come. Then I die and remain dead. That's life, and it's OK!