Samuel Scheffler

Samuel Scheffler is a philosophy professor at New York University who specializes in moral and political philosophy. He focuses on questions about human mortality, personal identity, and what gives life meaning. Scheffler's work examines how the prospect of collective human survival affects individual concerns about death and meaning. His philosophical arguments challenge common assumptions about personal mortality and the afterlife. He argues that people care more about the continuation of humanity after their own deaths than about their personal survival. His book "Death and the Afterlife" originated from his Berkeley Tanner Lectures. The work explores thought experiments about scenarios where humanity faces extinction shortly after one's own death. Scheffler contends that such prospects would drain current activities of meaning and value, even if individuals themselves continued to exist.

Readers find Scheffler's philosophical arguments thought-provoking and accessible to non-philosophers. Many appreciate his clear writing style and ability to present complex ideas without excessive jargon. Readers note that his thought experiments about human extinction scenarios effectively illuminate how collective survival shapes individual meaning. Readers liked Scheffler's counterintuitive thesis that collective afterlife matters more than personal afterlife. They found his examples compelling, particularly his analysis of how knowledge of humanity's imminent end would affect daily activities like having children or pursuing long-term projects. Many readers report that the book changed their perspective on mortality and meaning. Some readers found the arguments repetitive across chapters. Others felt that Scheffler's position, while interesting, relies too heavily on intuition rather than rigorous proof. A few critics noted that the book's brevity leaves some philosophical objections unaddressed. Some readers wanted more engagement with religious perspectives on afterlife and meaning.