Defying Death
by
Destroying Others:

Death Anxiety & the Impulse to Violence

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"A one day symposium exploring an unexpected source of violence and its relevance for conflict resolution in the world today"

On Saturday, March 22, 2003, CMU will host a day of seminars exploring issues of human violence in general and terrorism in particular, from the perspective of Ernest Becker.  Becker won a Pulitzer Prize in the 1970's for Denial of Death, in which he presented his theory (drawing broadly on the social sciences, but especially psychology) that our fear of death is a root cause of aggression and violence against those we perceive as "other."  In addition to human violence, these ideas will help us explore more fundamental issues, such as how people who seem "different" from ourselves arouse our fear and anxiety in the first place, and how such responses can lead to prejudice and bigotry, escalating to the willingness to destroy "others" to protect ourselves. Is this "xenophobia" inevitable in human affairs?  Does it mean that there is no reasonable hope that human violence can be diminished?  These and other relevant issues will be explored, with an effort to take seriously our destructive tendencies, and equally seriously, our constructive potentials. 

The day’s events will be organized around the following:

1.  A showing of the film "The Flight from Death:  The Quest for Immortality" and discussion with documentary filmmakers Patrick Shen and Greg Bennick. 

It sold out for a showing at the Soho Salon in NYC on November 23, and a second showing was scheduled. If you'd like a taste of it, please go to www.flightfromdeath.com and you can see the 3 minute trailer and find other information as well. 

2.  Sheldon Solomon of Skidmore College discussing In the Wake of 9/11:  The Psychology of Terror,  by Tom Pyzyzcynski, Sheldon Solomon and Jeff Greenburg, published by The American Psychological Association.  His presentation will be followed by a panel discussion and open conversation with members of the audience.

In the last 15-20 years, these three social psychologists have been conducting experiments to test Becker's claims. Their findings have persuaded them and others that there is empirical evidence to support those claims.  They developed "Terror Management Theory" to explain their research and their findings regarding death anxiety and its impact on hostile attitudes and behaviors directed at others. (Sheldon was recently interviewed on Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" regarding death anxiety.) Their book, In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror, just hit the stores in September, and many participants at the Becker Foundation conference in October had read it.  Their responses were very positive and the discussion with all three authors was lively and exciting. 

This Event is Sponsored by:

Dr. Gary Shapiro, Dean of CHSBS
Dr. Bob Kohrman, Provost CMU
Dr. Jim Hageman, Dean of Graduate Studies
The International Center for Applied Ethics
The Department of Philosophy and Religion
Program Board
Speak Up, Speak Out:  The Current Events Series

Book Reviews available at
Amazon.com     Barnes&Noble   APA Books

Click here for more information about the documentary

Both the book and poster above are available for purchase at CMU's bookstore (phone:  (989) 774-7493,
or
1-800-283-0234)