The ethics of life extension
If we could live longer, should we?
Longevity biotechnology is an emerging field that challenges the idea that death at 120 years old or so is guaranteed. How should we think about prolonging life? I decided to look into the ethics of life extension. This is not supposed to be a comprehensive or thorough essay, but I hope some people find it useful, and others find the time and passion to contribute.
The situation
Imagine that you are in a cafe. You are enjoying your tea. You are considering getting another cup, this time perhaps a chai latte, which you like more than tea. You also know that as soon as you finish your drinks, the waiter who loves surprises will bring you one last random drink. The waiter takes surprises seriously. You won’t know what’s in the extra cup before it is time to go. It could be a chai latte, a drink you might like even more, a drink you get poisoning from, or they could even bring you an empty cup.
Tea is your life, the present moment. It might be sweet or a little bitter. Life extension is getting another cup. It could mean buying a chai latte, a life that is better than your current life, or just another good old tea. At the end of life, there is death, a random drink. For all you know, it could be anything. It could be better than your current life…
