Books The denial of death

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, posits that a fundamental aspect of human existence is the inherent fear of death and the various psychological and cultural mechanisms people employ to deny or transcend their mortality.

• Key Concepts: Becker argues that human civilizations, achievements, and individual actions can be understood as "immortality projects" – attempts to create meaning and significance that outlast physical death. He explores how this fear drives human behavior, including the creation of hero-systems (like religion) and the pursuit of status or legacy.
• Influences: The book draws upon the works of thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Otto Rank, and Søren Kierkegaard to support its thesis on death anxiety and its impact on the human psyche.