Immortal ethics

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
John Harris

Abstract

This article draws on ideas published in my "Intimations of Immortality" essay in Science (Vol. 288, No. 5463, p. 59, April 7, 2000) and my "Intimations of Immortality-The Ethics and Justice of Life Extending Therapies" in editor Michael Freeman's Current Legal Problems (Oxford University Press 2002: 65-97). This article outlines the ethical issues involved in life-extending therapies. The arguments against life extension are examined and found wanting. The consequences of life extension are explored and found challenging but not sufficiently daunting to warrant regulation or control. In short, there is no doubt that immortality would be a mixed blessing, but we should be slow to reject cures for terrible diseases that may be an inextricable part of life-extending procedures even if the price we have to pay for those cures is increasing life expectancy and even creating immortals. Better surely to accompany the scientific race to achieve immortality with commensurate work in ethics and social policy to ensure that we know how to cope with the transition to parallel populations of mortals and immortals as envisaged in mythology.

References

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Citations

Dec 17, 2009·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Brad PartridgeWayne Hall
Oct 2, 2007·Journal of Medical Ethics·Martien A M Pijnenburg, Carlo Leget
Aug 19, 2014·Rejuvenation Research·João Pedro de Magalhães
Nov 17, 2004·Issues in Mental Health Nursing·Sandra P Thomas
Mar 2, 2010·Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy : RSAP·Saurabh NagarRajender Aparasu
Aug 9, 2005·The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics : a Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics·Victoria Sutton
Nov 8, 2007·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Mair UnderwoodWayne Hall
Jun 29, 2006·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Steven Horrobin
Apr 17, 2010·EMBO Reports·Jayne C LuckeWayne D Hall
Jul 11, 2006·The Journal of Pediatrics·Dimitri A Christakis, Frederick P Rivara
Sep 20, 2011·International Journal of Aging & Human Development·Nathan KoganMatthew Porter
Apr 30, 2005·Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy·Stanley E AlthofTara Symonds
Jun 30, 2007·Journal of Sex Research·Jill M WoodPhyllis Kernoff Mansfield
Oct 24, 2009·Social Studies of Science·Nicolas Langlitz
Feb 4, 2005·EMBO Reports·Jayne C Lucke, Wayne Hall
Jul 22, 2004·Neurosurgical Focus·Erwin B Montgomery
Mar 22, 2018·Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy·Johann A R RoduitWalter Glannon

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