That was close to Peter Wessel Zapffe's view that human hyperconsciousness is a curse that must be offset by our various coping mechanisms. Philosophy, religion, and our worldviews and ideologies would rationalize harsh facts that we're not supposed to know. We've broken the mold, and need to cope with our excessive freedom and intelligence.

Optimists and secular humanists like Tyson say, instead, that these traits are gifts or at least opportunities for progress.