Scott Roberts, "Terror Management Theory or Man's Denial of Death." Scott will explore how man's fear of death shapes his life. Everyone is invited to discuss how our ultimate end influences our daily life.
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Ira Glickstein
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I made the following comment at the the Lake Miona Q&A Discussion:
ReplyDelete"Like Bob, I am also a representative of "common sense".
I am NOT dumb.
I do not carry around 'two dumbbells and sit on top of a 'manhole cover' (aka, repressed/unconscious terror/fear of dying).
If I did sit continuously on top of such a manhole cover, the most likely response would be constipation :-) !
Not wars, body disfigurement, sexual abstinence, or Hitler, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot, et. al.
Just another point of view. Pseudo 'science' is NOT science!"
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Keep up your good work, Ira & Bob & Scott.
I always enjoy your thoughts. But keep in mind, if you reject Becker's explanations, you need to come up with alternative theories. For instance, why does man kill his fellow man, as Mao Zedung did with 45 million Chinese, to defend his scheme of things? Why did Medieval Xtians so mortify their bodies for over a 1000 years and consider such self mutilation holy work? Or why does the Ethiopian woman disfigure her face so that she looks like a platypus and yet, she still embraces this disfigurement which entails enormous personal suffering? (Having a lip like that can't feel good.) Or why does a group (given a death stimulus) reading a pro American article and an anti American article respond by rallying around the Pro article and denigrating the anti article much more vehemently than a control group not given the stimulus? Although the allusion to constipation is playful and fun, (and humor is good thing) be prepared to give thoughtful responses to the questions he poses. My two bits. Best, your fan, srr :>)
DeleteLively discussions, with humor, is the value here. In fact I propose that this blog be used in real time, during Philosophy Group lectures. Like a real time YouTube or Facebook video, where comments would appear on the projector image wall behind the lecturer. The lecture could chose to respond to any comment. Lecturer's choice.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Bob would have the have a new "Cellphone Waiver Policy", stating an exception to smashing cellphones with hammers, if the cellphone ringer is off, and the cellphone is used to enter real time text into the new blog. We should all thank Ira for creating this new blog.
Metaphorically, it can take sifting through a lot of sand to find any gold nuggets. Often no 'gold' is found. Science and technology are still evolving. My perspective is that we are still in the infancy of understanding and controlling ourselves and our environment.
I thank Scott Roberts for making the effort to present his point of view. As for his questions, my answer is mostly "Que sais-je" ('what do I know, LOL!), attributed to the great philosopher Michel de Montaigne.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/16/montaigne-on-trial
We are all driven towards generalization. The human mind cannot remember more than about 7 concepts perfectly. In fact older folks may remember the rotary dial phone, and phone numbers being no longer than 7 symbols.
Books are written with only 26 symbols.
DNA is understood as using a 4 key keyboard (ATCG).
The computer represents everything with a two key keboard (zero and one).
I suspect even Scott Roberts would admit that the theories he presents are more pseudo-science than science. Not a criticism, but more a comment on where we are in our journey to understanding.
Paul
PLewin@optonline.ent
What a great and literate response. Wow, am I impressed. Well said Paul!!! Thank u!
DeletePaul (and Scott): Great to see you two using this new VilPhil Blog for collegial comments and discussion. I urge others to follow your example. As for using the Blog for real time comments and projecting them behind the lecturer during the meeting, I don't think I could set that up nor that it would be advantageous. Love, Ira
Deleteoops, typo, should be:
ReplyDelete"... Of course, Bob would have a new "Cellphone Waiver Policy" ..."
Sorry I missed your presentation, Scott. I am up north and will return in the Winter. I wanted to add a comment here, because I am reading a book on real terror recommended by Anderson Cooper that might interest you and others - Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS, by Joby Warrick. It gives a concrete perspective on death and terror beyond revulsion at videos, examining the perpetrators. I suspect that manipulation of the fear elicited by such acts may be relevant to your presentation. My apologies if it is not.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Peter Irwin
Thank you for the great recommendation! Come home! srr
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