Consciousness & Medicine
O'Connor Says Belief in Self as Illusion Provides Death Consolation
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Alex O’Connor: #1 Shift That Stops Endless Overthinking (FINALLY Get Unstuck)
"If death is not just about biological function, it's the cessation of the self, there's something about the fact that I don't think the self exists even now that gives me some consolation. If the fear is what happens when the self comes to an end, the self never came to a beginning."
Drawing on split-brain research and Advaita Vedanta philosophy, O'Connor expresses consolation about death through rejecting the existence of a unified self. He notes this conclusion mirrors insights from ancient Indian philosophy and modern psychedelic experiences, suggesting the self we fear losing is fundamentally illusory.
From this episode
On Purpose with Jay Shetty