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Transcendence, symbolic immortality and evil

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 15:28 authored by James Hardie-BickJames Hardie-Bick
Ernest Becker’s work addresses the implications that arise from being aware of our own mortality. Like Sartre, Becker recognises that human beings have the potential to transcend and look beyond their immediate situation, but his work also confronts the darker aspects of human existence that arise from our selfawareness. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of Becker’s work and to show the potential of Becker’s theory of evil to inform a number of contemporary debates in the social sciences. Although Becker’s work directly examines why human beings can act so inhumanly towards one another, his theory is not altogether pessimistic. The paper concludes by arguing that Becker’s theory intended to create new possibilities for living in more creative and humane world.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Human Studies

ISSN

0163-8548

Publisher

Springer-Verlag

Issue

3

Volume

35

Page range

415-428

Department affiliated with

  • Sociology and Criminology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-08-06

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    University of Sussex (Publications)

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