denial of death

Most Replayed Moment: Christian vs Atheist - Is Faith A Human Creation?

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett, 16 October 2026. The book comes up at 13 min 51 sec in.

During a discussion of whether human motivation for purpose-driven activities stems from mortality, a speaker connects the idea to Ernest Becker's work, noting it 'famously suggests' that human behaviour beyond immediate sensory concerns is driven by apprehension of death. The speaker finds the thesis compelling but 'probably too simple,' and proceeds to introduce a related thought experiment attributed to a philosopher named Scheffler.

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