Death and Story-Telling with A.J. Jacobs

<p>Are there more meaningful and ethical ways of honoring the dead than our traditional rituals? Why is it useful to adopt probabilistic thinking in our everyday lives? What sorts of things do we value intrinsically (i.e., that we would value even if they had no other positive benefits)? What do stories do well and not so well?</p><p>A.J. Jacobs is an author, lecturer, and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers, including <em>The Year of Living Biblically</em> and <em>Drop Dead Healthy</em>. He is a contributor to NPR, Esquire, and the New York Times, among others. His most recent book is <em>Thanks a Thousand</em>, which chronicled his quest to thank a thousand people who had even the smallest role in his morning cup of coffee. You can find A.J. on <a href="https://facebook.com/ajjacobs">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ajjacobs">Twitter</a>, or you can email him at <a href="mailto:ajjacobs1@gmail.com">ajjacobs1@gmail.com</a>.</p>