Very Bad Wizards Episode 290: Blinded by the Light (Plato's Cave Pt. 2)
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Aug 6, 2024 David and Tamler explore the depths of Plato's allegory of the cave, linking it to mystical traditions like Gnosticism and Sufism. They delve into the dialectic as a method for reaching the Form of the Good and challenge the perception of philosophers as irrelevant. The discussion also covers terror management theory, examining how awareness of mortality shapes human behavior and societal dynamics. Additionally, they critique research methodologies in social psychology and highlight the complex relationship between philosophy and modern spiritual thought.
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Tamler's Dominance
- Tamler asserts his dominance over David after the Stalker episode.
- He jokes about not making eye contact with David anymore.
TMT and Denial of Death
- Terror Management Theory (TMT) attempts to empirically test Ernest Becker's "Denial of Death" theory.
- TMT uses indirect measures to study unconscious motivations related to death anxiety and cultural worldview.
Worldview Threat and Death Thoughts
- The paper "Is Death Really the Worm at the Core?" explores how worldview threat increases death thought accessibility.
- The authors posit that the growing-up process and cultural investment mask death anxieties.