#6925
Mentioned in 8 episodes

Immortality

The Quest to Live Forever and How It Drives Civilization
Book • 2011
In this book, Stephen Cave delves into the human quest for immortality, categorizing the various attempts into four narratives: staying alive, resurrection, soul, and legacy.

He explores how these narratives have shaped human history, influencing art, religion, and civilization.

Cave argues that the pursuit of immortality is a foundational aspect of human achievement but also critiques the idea, suggesting that true immortality would be devoid of meaning and potentially destructive.

The book concludes by offering a positive vision of life without immortal aspirations, drawing on philosophical and historical examples such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Stoics.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 8 episodes

Mentioned by
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Arthur C. Brooks
in relation to the cognitive dissonance of understanding death but not non-existence.
42 snips
ARTHUR C. BROOKS: why chasing money and escaping pain won't make you happy
Mentioned by
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Arthur Brooks
as Stephen Cave's exploration of how humans conceive death and non-existence.
37 snips
The Two Types of People Who Never Find Happiness
Mentioned by
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Ravikumar Kashi
as a book about projection and narrative shaping of the self.
36 snips
Ep 441: Ravikumar Kashi Is in Play Mode
Mentioned by
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Aleks Krotoski
when referencing a philosophical account of the mortality paradox.
17 snips
Our millennia-long obsession with immortality
Mentioned by Bobby as one of Sam Barlow's story-driven games where you piece together the narrative by watching footage.
11 snips
DLG 2026 Game Of The Year Awards!
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Eric Van Allen
as a point of comparison to TR-49, highlighting the investigation aspect of the game.
What's Going On With Ubisoft?
Mentioned in the episode description as the sequel to
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Dana Schwartz
's 'Anatomy: A Love Story' available to order.
John Dee's Language of the Angels
Mentioned as a poem about Wordsworth's sense of losing visionary power and youthful motivation.
Love and Death: Elegies for Poets by Auden, Arnold and Schuyler
Mentioned by
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Tom Gerencer
as having some fun Sheckley stuff in it, but the whole book doesn't seem to hang together.
475. The Legacy of Robert Sheckley (with Tom Gerencer)

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