Ernest Becker

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Ernest Becker (September 27, 1924 – March 6, 1974) was an American cultural anthropologist and interdisciplinary thinker, noted for his work in the fields of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. He is best known for his 1974 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Denial of Death, which explores the human awareness of mortality and its effects on human behavior.

Early Life and Education

Ernest Becker was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1924. He served in the infantry during World War II, which profoundly influenced his later work. After the war, Becker attended Syracuse University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology. He continued his studies at Syracuse, obtaining a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology in 1960.

Academic Career

Becker's academic career was marked by a series of teaching positions at various universities, including Syracuse University, the University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco State University, and Simon Fraser University in Canada. His interdisciplinary approach often put him at odds with traditional academic departments, leading to a somewhat peripatetic career.

Major Works

The Denial of Death

The Denial of Death is Becker's most famous work, published in 1973. In this book, Becker argues that the awareness of our own mortality is a fundamental source of human anxiety. He suggests that much of human behavior is an attempt to deny or escape the reality of death. Becker draws on the work of Sigmund Freud, Otto Rank, and Søren Kierkegaard to explore how culture, religion, and personal heroism serve as mechanisms to cope with the fear of death.

Escape from Evil

Published posthumously in 1975, Escape from Evil extends the ideas presented in The Denial of Death. Becker examines how the denial of death leads to the creation of evil in the world, as individuals and societies attempt to achieve symbolic immortality through power, wealth, and cultural achievements. He explores the role of religion and culture in providing frameworks for understanding and transcending death.

Influence and Legacy

Becker's work has had a significant impact on the fields of psychology, anthropology, and existential philosophy. His ideas have influenced the development of terror management theory, which explores how humans manage the fear of death through cultural worldviews and self-esteem. Becker's interdisciplinary approach and his exploration of existential themes continue to resonate with scholars and thinkers across various disciplines.

Also see

• Terror management theory
• Existential psychology
• Cultural anthropology
• Sigmund Freud
• Otto Rank
• Søren Kierkegaard