#117 – Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning
August 20, 2020
2 hr 56 min
117
Full
114 of 498
Episode 117 · August 20, 2020
#117 – Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning
0:00 / 2:56:51
Excerpt playback isn’t available for this episode — use the full-episode link.
Search the Record
Moment search isn’t open for this episode yet
When it opens, you’ll be able to type any phrase and jump straight to the second it was said.
Lex Fridman Episodes Around August 20, 2020
Episode 114 of 498 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
#117 – Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning
Summary
<p>Sheldon Solomon is a social psychologist, a philosopher, co-developer of Terror Management Theory, co-author of The Worm at the Core.</p>
<p>Please support this channel by supporting our sponsors:<br />
– Blinkist: <a href="https://blinkist.com/lex">https://blinkist.com/lex</a><br />
– ExpressVPN at <a href="https://www.expressvpn.com/lexpod">https://www.expressvpn.com/lexpod</a><br />
– Cash App: download app & use code “LexPodcast”</p>
<p>Episode links:<br />
Sheldon’s Website: <a href="https://www.skidmore.edu/psychology/faculty/solomon.php">https://www.skidmore.edu/psychology/faculty/solomon.php</a><br />
The Worm at the Core (book): <a href="https://amzn.to/31hQAXH">https://amzn.to/31hQAXH</a><br />
Denial of Death (book): <a href="https://amzn.to/329Zxl4">https://amzn.to/329Zxl4</a></p>
<p>If you would like to get more information about this podcast go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/podcast">https://lexfridman.com/podcast</a> or connect with @lexfridman on <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://medium.com/@lexfridman">Medium</a>, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/lexfridman">YouTube</a> where you can watch the video versions of these conversations. If you enjoy the podcast, please rate it 5 stars on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/artificial-intelligence/id1434243584">Apple Podcasts</a>, follow on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2MAi0BvDc6GTFvKFPXnkCL">Spotify</a>, or support it on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman">Patreon</a>.</p>
<p>Here’s the outline of the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.</p>
<p>OUTLINE:<br />
00:00 – Introduction<br />
05:34 – Role of death in life<br />
22:57 – Jordan Peterson<br />
53:02 – Humans are both selfish and cooperative<br />
56:57 – Civilization collapse<br />
1:10:07 – Meditating on your mortality<br />
1:16:10 – Kierkegaard and Heidegger<br />
1:33:25 – Elon Musk<br />
1:36:56 – Thinking deeply about death<br />
1:45:53 – Religion<br />
1:56:59 – Consciousness<br />
2:03:39 – Why is Ernest Becker not better known<br />
2:07:09 – AI and mortality<br />
2:21:07 – Academia should welcome renegade thinkers<br />