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The simplest questions often have the most complex answers. The Philosopher's Zone is your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics and ethics.
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A single question opens a door most of us avoid: what do you think happens when we die? For this caller, the answer comes not from theory but from experience. During a medical crisis, she finds herself floating above her body, greeted by family who had already died, and facing an ornate threshold she’s told not to cross.
It’s a story that’s strange and tender, playful and grounded. Not a doctrine, but a report from the edge. Told by someone who has worked in hospice, studied death across cultures, and still didn’t expect the peace, or the humor, she found there.
We follow her journey from childhood Mormon teachings to teenage nihilism, through her years in hospice care and anthropology studies, and finally into the operating room where sepsis and surgeries bend time. She describes the gallery-like theater, the clarity of hearing loved ones without words, and the message she was sent back with: tell people it’s okay to die.
Along the way, we talk about why rituals matter in healthcare, how visibility reduces trauma, and how stories can soften fear. If you’ve ever carried questions about what comes next, or felt the weight of “nothingness” and wished for a crack of light, this conversation offers a new way of looking at it.
Book Recommendation: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
If you’d like to watch this conversation instead of just listening, you can find the video version on YouTube.
The Death Deck: Talk About the FutureA Lively Party Game to Share Stories and Beliefs
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Want to share your thoughts?
We want to hear from you! Call our voicemail at 971-328-0864 and tell us what you believe happens when we die. Your message might be featured in a future episode and could help inspire someone else on their journey. Or, if you're interested in having a full conversation, you can apply to be an anonymous caller at whenwedietalks.com.
Have feedback about the show? Questions? Suggestions? Feel free to send a text or email—we’re always open to hearing what’s working and what’s not.
Chapters
1. The Question That Starts It All (00:00:00)
2. Sponsor: The Death Deck & Dementia Deck (00:00:37)
3. Year Two, Subscribers, and Contemplations (00:01:12)
4. Introducing the Caller and Context (00:01:55)
5. Place, Books, and Early Beliefs (00:03:50)
6. From Nihilism to Hospice Clues (00:07:33)
7. Studying Death Across Cultures (00:09:59)
8. The Surgery That Changed Everything (00:12:35)
9. Dying, Floating, and Family Appearing (00:18:34)
10. The Theater, The Door, and Time Dilation (00:20:31)
11. Skepticism, Meaning, and Telling the Story (00:22:07)
12. Sent Back With a Message (00:30:33)
13. Popcorn as a Cosmic Punchline (00:34:18)
14. Closing Reflections and Ways to Engage (00:39:33)
15. Bonus: Jewish Ideas on Afterlife & Burial (00:40:55)
37 episodes
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