Cultural Anthropologist
Ernest Becker (1924 to 1974) was an American cultural anthropologist whose work explored the psychological and philosophical implications of humanity's awareness of mortality. His book The Denial of Death won the Pulitzer Prize posthumously in 1974 and remains a foundational text in existential psychology.
by Ernest Becker
Becker argues that the terror of death drives much of human behaviour, from heroism to war. Culture, religion, and self-esteem are elaborate defences against the awareness of our mortality.
The books Ernest Becker references, cites, and recommends most frequently.
by Viktor Frankl
Frankl survived Auschwitz and concluded that meaning, not pleasure or power, sustains us through suffering. His logotherapy argues we can find purpose in any circumstance.
Who Ernest draws from, and who draws from Ernest — aggregated across every book in this collection. Counts show the number of citation links, not the depth of each one.