Should I Choose To Live Forever? A Debate

I’ve simply been made conscious of a brand new e-book, Should I Choose To Live Forever? A Debate

The e-book is a debate between the philosophers Stephen Case–who solutions the query within the damaging, and John Martin Fischer—who solutions within the affirmative. The e-book additionally features a Foreword by Lord Martin Rees, the present Astronomer Royal of the UK.

Whereas I’ve solely learn excerpts from the e-book I’m acquainted with the writing on this subject by each of those philosophers. And, as my readers may also know, I’m firmly on the facet of those that argue for having the selection to stay endlessly—as I wrote in my Salon essay “Death Should Be Optional.”

What I did discover within the e-book’s early pages was Case’s useful distinctions between

a) average life extension – growing our present longest lifespans by about 40 years;

b) radical life extension – eliminating getting old such that one may solely die from some outdoors power equivalent to a meteor hitting the planet;

c) contingent immortality – being immortal from any potential trigger and dwelling endlessly until one chooses to die;

d) true immortality – one can’t die from any trigger and one can’t select to die.

My view that dying must be elective falls into group c. I discover possibility d fairly undesirable because it condemns one to stay it doesn’t matter what. Even a god may wish to die. Furthermore, many individuals fear about radical life extension or contingent immortality for a similar motive—in such states, they are going to be unable to decide on to die. For instance, we may be stored alive by malevolent beings and tortured thus unable to place an finish to our depressing existence. So I feel the attract of dying is that irrespective of how dangerous life is there’s a way out. Individuals discover that comforting.

I don’t know how one can ameliorate these worries. All I’m saying is that the choice to be immortal which incorporates an escape clause that might be exercised at any time appears greatest. In that case, we’re resistant to getting old, illness, accidents, and so on. however are capable of die. (Sure, I do understand that that is presently fantasy.)

I do look ahead to studying the e-book and if any of my readers get to it first please share your findings.