How Would Religion Fit Into This?

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Sally Kohn: How would religion fit into this is a great question, actually. Sheffler: A lot of different kind of religious theories are grappling with how can our lives have meaning in the face of our own deaths? Kohn: Musicians really care that young people show up at concerts. They don't just want it to die out. It may well be that the opera singer can't quite foresee what opera could turn into.

Suppose all of humanity was infected by a virus that left us all infertile--no one will come along after us. How would you react to such a world? Agnes Callard of the University of Chicago says she would be filled with despair. But why does this seem worse than our own inevitable deaths? Callard speaks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the meaning of life, and what exactly about the end of humanity is so demoralizing. The conversation concludes with a discussion of whether humanity is making progress.