David Benatar is awesome.

Like Woody Allen stated, we have to have distractions in order to bear existence. Everyone has them.

Beautiful. My weekly KZfaq search for David Benatar pays off!

“Just when I discovered the meaning of life, it changed.” - George Carlin, _Napalm and Silly Putty_ (2001)

The minute I learned that we all die, was the moment I regretted being born.

these are the most honest 64 minutes in the history of this meaningless existence that we humans call life! hats off to David Benatar

THE BEST EXISTENCE IS NONE EXISTENCE. KNOW LIFE, KNOW PAIN. NO LIFE, NO PAIN.

David's intelligence is razor sharp. Every time I listen or read something from him I always appreciate his ability to consider virtually all of the logically possible propositions of a state of affairs and he draws out their implications convincingly. Many times I am astonished by how he is able to consider and infer the implications of things which I usually am angry over, due the fact that other intellectuals gloss them over or completely miss them, leaving me wondering how I can notice these glaringly obvious implications and they can't. I think one thing that separates him from other intellectuals is that he is never defending a position, but rather demonstrating the logical conclusions of facts and assumptions that most rational agents hold. Typically, that is where many others end up disagreeing with him: on the foundational set of premises for their positions. Even then, many premises can still be examined for their consistency and coherency as a set, and David tends to do a decent job of examining that as well.

David Benatar is both rational and wise at the same time.

I noticed a typo, it's supposed to read "The Meaninglessness of Life"

One thing about Dr Benatar and antinatalism is that I find it very reassuring . For most of my life I have shared Dr Benatar's sentiments but assumed I was in a majority of one in this matter . I did not get animated when someone got pregnant and on my first meeting with a new baby I pretended to be joyful , but inside I was thinking ' poor mite ' . I have found some solace in Bhuddism and Hinduism ( advaita Vedanta ) because at least they inherently teach that life in the world is inherently full of suffering ✌️🕊️

Thanks for this interview and for giving these ideas a platform.

Fantastic conversation. Two great hosts and a guest for the ages.

Humanity isn't ready for such discussions yet. However, humans after 200 years will thank you all for this. Thanks Prof. David Benatar for existing in this meaningless universe.

The meaning of life: “Birth is a curse, life is a prison” According to Buddha: “life comes only suffering, old age and DESTH”

I think it’s better to have not been.

Putting the content the content to one side I have to say that the level of debate here is very impressive . The presenters make their own contribution to a very high level debate . As an alien I can report back to my planet that there is after all intelligent life on earth. ✌️.

Antinatalism is the answer to this cruel pointless existence.

Your video is gold ;) Happy new year

I am a little surprise on the professor’s take on suicide. There is no one objective barometer that decides how I perceive or feel, as he said, we can’t really mind-read. Maybe my thresholds are way lower than the normatively resilient folks! I have a rights-based perspective on suicide, anyone should have the right to do it. I’ll probably make a concession and include rational adults who do not have children under 25, but really anyone can go if they want and as a society we should allow than access to a swift, peaceful, happy death.

Thanks for the discussion, glad to find a podcast with David:)

This was a great discussion.

The average person can't handle the fact that life has no meaning. They would be in a terminal state of depression.

Amazing! thank you gentlemen !

Life has no meaning and if it scares you, the problem here is fear and not the meaninglessness of life. If it makes you sad that life has no meaning then let me tell you that sadness also has no meaning!

8:42 I feel like, or think (with more confidence), that this question about the 'meaning' (whatever this word refers to in each setence) of life is and can be dealt as a semantic one, given that participants in the discussion share the same informations about the world. I usually tell people that I'm an existential nihilist, in that I believe there is no absolute purpose (with some kind of "worth" or moral enforcibility of its realization) to anything, but I think, that and subjectivist view are not muturely exclusive, if each ideas were expressed in a way that reflect the reality as we assume it to be. 'Subjective meaning' for example, I think, can be (and I think should be) describe in a way that leaves no vagueness as to what it's referring to, and preferably without using the word "meaning," like, "thing X caused this mental effect to John, which causes this and that (which we generally describe as a "positive psychological effect") and that's what he's really thinking of when he says 'I think X is subjectively meaningful to me.'" Given that all things expressed in this sentence reflect the reality, I think there's nothing a rational person would disagree with. 20:32 Ambiguity was the word I was looking for (instead of vagueness--though I suspect they are mostly interchangeble). I think "Meaning" here can be replaced with "effect" or "amount of 'positive experience' (which also needs defining) it caused--in this case, to the space aliens" 22:14 That story (scifi novel) sounds fantastic! 31:56 I think this is one (or 'the') area where I disagree with David the most. I say, based on my moral preference that one should be able to decide whether to continue living or not, if someone sees no reason to continue living, for there is no "meaning" that is valuable to him, and if the life is causing suffering to him, he should be able to put an end to it immediately (peacefully)--I see no good reason as to why the person in this situation should, and should be forced or even encouraged, to keep living. 39:09 with a large overlap to the previous section that I mentioned, i think this is where David is sort of exploiting the ambiguity of the word "meaning" for the argument. 46:10 I strongly disagree with the idea that once you are dead "you can no longer experience good." There will be no "you" after your death to be deprived of those good things once you are dead, so it can't be a harm to you.

The point about "art" giving purpose / adding value is pretty mute. Basically, we aren't really bringing greater beauty / harmony into being, we are merely mirroring what already is. Human's just think they are special, & art, as engrossing as it can be, is ultimately just a form of plagiarism.

Great video, thanks for making this.

What has pride got to do with it? Knowledge is a good thing in itself, I do not care who produces it. It gives life meaning to have that knowledge, it is the content of the knowledge that gives meaning, not to know that we have produced it (although it is a good thing that it has been produced).

Does meaninglessness in life necessarily lead to anti-natalism or death? Is it possible to live or to wish to live without meaning?

The post Modern meaning of life is exactly the same as the prehistoric meaning of life. Live for the sole purpose of seeking pleasure.

Natalist: Nothing is better than being alive. Antinatalist: Yes, nothing IS better than being alive.

Hi! I'm curious about what you said at 17:06, that you don't believe in the existence of art. I haven't really studied philosophy, but I'm curious about this idea. Could you point me in the direction of some writers/books that are about this viewpoint? Thanks!

The value of "art" is connected to suffering.

this was great thank you david

Does the Cosmos even exist without a perceiver ( any sentient being ) ??? ✌️

Very smart, interesting convo. Thanks!

Am I the only one comforted by meaninglessness of life 😁 It’s so refreshing 😁Then I can pursue love not success

My take on this is what people view as Goals/Pleasure/Meaning in life is just Pain Mitigation/aka Coping Mechanisms pain,death,suffering encompasses our existence on this earth we struggle to survive daily we're forced to be "Wage Slaves" always having to take care of our needy bodies and always required to do things,we rather not do never free to be our true self,for fear of being scorned, ,rejected, condemned and ridicule by our world's societies standards. we're programmed from birth to believe that life is just about accumulating material things/wealth and our only reward for this drudgery is Death life is just a brutal joke. simply put Existence Was and Is Unnecessary.

If you conclude that life is a pointless shitshow, it seems to me the most meaningful thing you can do is to end it. If you're sitting in a theater watching an unbearably bad film, the most meaningful thing you can do is walk out. Not to mention noble.

Big ups

Welcome to the Pain Factory

You don’t have to have a particular item of knowledge for that knowledge to be a benefit to you.

Then why deny others the opportunity to attempt to achieve meaning or to fulfill a meaning if it is such a good thing that one should not deny oneself the potential for achieving something that is good. All you've said really is that you do not know whether or not meaning is a good thing there for how can you assert that perpetuating life and existence of our specific species is inherently good or bad? Once you answer that question then you can begin to consider whether or not this species should exist based on what it contributes versus what it consumes

32:00

I didn't know Christ was going to be hosting.

I regret having children for their sake. It was selfish. I hope they enjoy life with little suffering and feel like they prefer existing even though we die. I hope they feel that way as adults rather than how I feel thinking we got the worst situation existing & dying. I prefer non existence or eternal existing if forced in.

I think there is a slight confusion going on. They are asking how much have you contributed to your own meaning in life. The fact is I am okay with Mozart being considered more significant than me, and this is because Mozart has given my life more meaning through listening to his works. My contribution to my own happiness pales in comparison to how much other people have contributed to that, but I don’t feel bad about that, I don’t feel disappointed by that or like my life has less meaning, it has more meaning, but less significance. Are we looking to have a significant life or a meaningful life. Both contribute to happiness.

Why is pleasure not a type of meaning?

Finally a video actually discussing suicide thank god ... I'm contemplating taking my own life, and I'm happy to do it - Except there's few videos to properly talk it out in this manner at least like this as such

Benatar's ideas will catch on, but probably tòo late.

24:25 book mark , or video mark i guess 😄

Benatar is my philosopher

There is a lot of biological/human chauvinism going on. The quest for knowledge is only incidentally a human thing, since Homo sapiens were (likely) one of the first animals to be people and it is people that are significant to the creation of and discovery of knowledge. Any being that has the capacity to create knowledge is significant even in some little way and those that do are a person.

There is undeniably reason to be optimistic about our existence, and there is undeniably cause for pessimism, but due to the continuous nature of the former, and the discrete nature of the latter, there is necessarily more cause for faith than there is that of fear, and that’s precisely why our world does exists. The whys outweigh the why nots, and the inequality between them is the essence of existence-the Self-being fuelled by the inescapable reality that itself should exist. I discuss a similar topic on my channel.

TYPO DETECTED: "What does it all mean? If we live on a PAIL blue dot"

Please bring Prof. Benatar to the podcast again. It would be amazing to see you guys challenge Prof. Benatar's antinatalist worldview. Great conversation btw.

Life had meaning before this conversation... Now? No. Better luck next time. There will be no Next Time? Oh well...

Isn't it inconsistent to use the naturalistic argument for advocating continuing to live but to ignore it re the urge to procreate?

Its not sci fi Its south park where earth is entertainment for the universe. South park Season 7. Episode 1 Earth is cancelled

It's a rehash of existentialism, absurdity of life, etc. What's new here?

Impossibly profound, but brutal, just brutal. As in - a potential loaded gun for depressed teenagers. And not just teenagers.

How would even universal meaning be meaningful? More creates meaning? The universe is a dumb, impossibly cruel shitshow.

For meaning to be real and it has to be objective and outside of the cosmic perspective - otherwise it’s relative to the individual, group or race. The bottom line is unless God exists, meaning, value and purpose cannot objectively exist. If it doesn’t objectively exist, it doesn’t exist.

Powerful objection ca. 12:30, IMO.

There is none. You give whatever you need meaning

The “meaning of life” is subjective.

Why don't you Believe in art? C:

I hope the atheists repent and come back to God as I did in 2016. I don't want any of you to go to Hell. 😫

Better not to have been born? Man, some Afrikaaners really took the fall of Apartheid hard.