思考死亡的改变我们的行为方式

《科学美国人》:

一想到推卸我们的致命的线圈可以让我们都有点拘谨。但避免死亡的想法完全意味着忽略了它可以扮演的角色在决定我们的行为。考虑以下场景:

你访问一个朋友住在二十层的老市中心的公寓。半夜当你突然从沉睡中唤醒的声音尖叫和令人窒息的烟雾的味道。你到达了床头灯,把灯打开。你震惊地发现房间快速填满厚厚的云层的烟。你跑到门口,到达处理。你在痛苦中拉回的酷热把手烫伤你很厉害。抓住一条毯子从床上和使用它作为保护,你转动手柄,打开门。几乎立即一波巨大的火焰和浓烟呼啸而进房间,敲你,确实你的脚。没有办法离开房间。它变得很难呼吸,火焰的热量几乎是无法忍受的。 Panicked, you scramble to the only window in the room and try to open it. As you struggle, you realize the old window is painted shut around all the edges. It doesn’t budge. Your eyes are barely open now, filled with tears from the smoke. You try calling out for help, but the air to form the words is not there. You drop to the floor, hoping to escape the rising smoke, but it is too late. The room is filled top to bottom with thick fumes and is nearly entirely in flames. With your heart pounding, it suddenly hits you, as time seems to stand still, that you are literally moments away from dying. The inevitable unknown that was always waiting for you has finally arrived. Out of breath and weak, you shut your eyes and wait for the end.

阅读整个故事:科学美国人