Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The fear of death quietly shapes almost everything we do. At least that was the thesis Ernest Becker put forward in his Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death. But how can we tell if it's true? That's the question social psychologist Sheldon Solomon and his collaborators have pursued for more than four decades the subject of this conversation with Brian Greene.
The findings are striking. In experiment after experiment, subjects subtly reminded of their mortality cling more tightly to the belief systems and social structures that shield them from the terror of death. Solomon explains how self-esteem works as an anxiety buffer, why death reminders intensify tribalism and conflict, and what ancient burials, the pyramids, and today's billion-dollar longevity ventures have in common. Drawing on Kierkegaard and Heidegger, the conversation turns finally to how confronting mortality can open onto gratitude, humility, and a deeper way of being alive.
This program is part of the Rethinking Reality series, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
#sheldonsolomon #thedenialofdeath #deathanxiety #psychology
Participant: Sheldon Solomon
Moderator: Brian Greene
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youtube.com/worldsciencefestival?sub_confirmation=1
ABOUT WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL:
The World Science Festival (WSF) is a multimedia organization bringing the most transformative ideas in science to global audiences. Through long- and short-form videos spanning physics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, biology, neuroscience, consciousness, medicine, space exploration, the dilemma of free will, artificial intelligence, engineering, robotics, and beyond. WSF gathers world-renowned scientists, artists, and thinkers for dynamic discussions, debates, lectures, performances, films, and immersive live experiences.
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York City, the World Science Festival is a production of the World Science Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to cultivate a public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future. With live events reaching millions worldwide and hundreds of millions of digital views, WSF continues to expand its global impact through festivals, educational initiatives like World Science U, and digital content that explores the near and far future of our world.
FOLLOW WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL:
Website: worldsciencefestival.com
Instagram: instagram.com/worldscifest
TikTok: tiktok.com/@worldscifest
X(Twitter): twitter.com/worldscifest
Facebook: facebook.com/worldsciencefestival
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/world-science-festival
Chapters:
00:00 What Death Does to Human Decisions
01:05 How Brian Greene Discovered Ernest Becker
05:59 What Makes Humans Different From Every Other Animal
08:38 Kierkegaard, Self Awareness, and the Two Emotions That Define Us
14:05 Cultural Worldviews as Armor Against Death
16:30 Why People Resist the Idea That Death Motivates Them
22:10 How an Obituary Assignment Became a Scientific Paradigm
27:49 The Judge Study
35:00 The Funeral Parlor Experiment
42:50 What Death Reminders Do to How We See People Who Are Different
46:08 Has Terror Management Theory Been Accepted?
50:58 The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Finitude of Everything
54:01 What Confronting Death Actually Feels Like
59:35 Awe, Gratitude, and Humility
01:03:24 Burial Rites and the Ancient Denial of Death
01:07:07 What If We Could Live Much Longer?
01:16:00 Could These Ideas Make the World a Better Place?
01:20:50 Cosmic Insignificance and the Laws of Physics
What's Behind Everything You Do? | World Science Festival
youtu.be/ypRYKVI4VUc
The fear of death quietly shapes almost everything we do. At least that was the thesis Ernest Becker put forward in his Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Denial of Death. But how can we tell if it's true? That's the question social psychologist Sheldon Solomon and his collaborators have pursued for more than four decades the subject of this conversation with Brian Greene.
The findings are striking. In experiment after experiment, subjects subtly reminded of their mortality cling more tightly to the belief systems and social structures that shield them from the terror of death. Solomon explains how self-esteem works as an anxiety buffer, why death reminders intensify tribalism and conflict, and what ancient burials, the pyramids, and today's billion-dollar longevity ventures have in common. Drawing on Kierkegaard and Heidegger, the conversation turns finally to how confronting mortality can open onto gratitude, humility, and a deeper way of being alive.
This program is part of the Rethinking Reality series, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
#sheldonsolomon #thedenialofdeath #deathanxiety #psychology
Participant: Sheldon Solomon
Moderator: Brian Greene
Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW:
youtube.com/worldsciencefestival?sub_confirmation=1
ABOUT WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL:
The World Science Festival (WSF) is a multimedia organization bringing the most transformative ideas in science to global audiences. Through long- and short-form videos spanning physics, cosmology, quantum mechanics, biology, neuroscience, consciousness, medicine, space exploration, the dilemma of free will, artificial intelligence, engineering, robotics, and beyond. WSF gathers world-renowned scientists, artists, and thinkers for dynamic discussions, debates, lectures, performances, films, and immersive live experiences.
Founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York City, the World Science Festival is a production of the World Science Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our mission is to cultivate a public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future. With live events reaching millions worldwide and hundreds of millions of digital views, WSF continues to expand its global impact through festivals, educational initiatives like World Science U, and digital content that explores the near and far future of our world.
FOLLOW WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL:
Website: worldsciencefestival.com
Instagram: instagram.com/worldscifest
TikTok: tiktok.com/@worldscifest
X(Twitter): twitter.com/worldscifest
Facebook: facebook.com/worldsciencefestival
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/world-science-festival
Chapters:
00:00 What Death Does to Human Decisions
01:05 How Brian Greene Discovered Ernest Becker
05:59 What Makes Humans Different From Every Other Animal
08:38 Kierkegaard, Self Awareness, and the Two Emotions That Define Us
14:05 Cultural Worldviews as Armor Against Death
16:30 Why People Resist the Idea That Death Motivates Them
22:10 How an Obituary Assignment Became a Scientific Paradigm
27:49 The Judge Study
35:00 The Funeral Parlor Experiment
42:50 What Death Reminders Do to How We See People Who Are Different
46:08 Has Terror Management Theory Been Accepted?
50:58 The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Finitude of Everything
54:01 What Confronting Death Actually Feels Like
59:35 Awe, Gratitude, and Humility
01:03:24 Burial Rites and the Ancient Denial of Death
01:07:07 What If We Could Live Much Longer?
01:16:00 Could These Ideas Make the World a Better Place?
01:20:50 Cosmic Insignificance and the Laws of Physics
What's Behind Everything You Do? | World Science Festival
youtu.be/ypRYKVI4VUc
