Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning | Lex Fridman Podcast #117

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

August 20, 2020

Duration

2h 56m

Channel

Lex Fridman Podcast

Watch on YouTube

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📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Sheldon Solomon is a social psychologist, a philosopher, co-developer of Terror Management Theory, co-author of The Worm at the Core. Please support this channel by supporting our sponsors:

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EPISODE LINKS: Sheldon's Website: https://www.skidmore.edu/psychology/faculty/solomon.php The Worm at the Core (book): https://amzn.to/31hQAXH Denial of Death (book): https://amzn.to/329Zxl4 PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ Full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 Clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41 OUTLINE: 0:00 - Introduction 5:34 - Role of death in life 22:57 - Jordan Peterson 53:02 - Humans are both selfish and cooperative 56:57 - Civilization collapse 1:10:07 - Meditating on your mortality 1:16:10 - Kierkegaard and Heidegger 1:33:25 - Elon Musk 1:36:56 - Thinking deeply about death 1:45:53 - Religion 1:56:59 - Consciousness 2:03:39 - Why is Ernest Becker not better known 2:07:09 - AI and mortality 2:21:07 - Academia should welcome renegade thinkers 2:36:33 - Book recommendations 2:43:23 - Advice for young people 2:48:17 - Meaning of life CONNECT:

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🎤 SPEAKERS

• Lex Fridman

  host

• Sheldon Solomon

  guest

• Narrator

  other

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Lex Fridman Podcast, featuring Lex Fridman and Sheldon Solomon, Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning | Lex Fridman Podcast #117 explores facing Death to Truly Live: Sheldon Solomon on Meaning and Fear Lex Fridman and social psychologist Sheldon Solomon explore terror management theory, the idea that awareness and fear of death silently drive much of human behavior, culture, politics, and self-esteem. Solomon traces the intellectual lineage from Ernest Becker, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger to his own empirical work showing how subtle reminders of mortality shape preferences, prejudice, consumption, and even voting. They connect death anxiety to religion, economics, populism, and the rise of charismatic leaders, arguing that repressed fear of death fuels tribalism, hatred, and political extremism. The conversation ends by considering how consciously confronting mortality might lead to more authentic living, love, and even inform the design of future AI capable of deep connection with humans.

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