Who wants to live forever? Three arguments against extending the human lifespan.
The wish to extend the human lifespan has a long tradition in many cultures. Optimistic views of the possibility of achieving this goal through the latest developments in medicine feature increasingly in serious scientific and philosophical discussion. The authors of this paper argue that research with the explicit aim of extending the human lifespan is both undesirable and morally unacceptable. They present three serious objections, relating to justice, the community and the meaning of life.
Pijnenburg
Martien A M
MA
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Department of Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.pijnenburg@efg.umcn.nl
Leget
Carlo
C
D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001293:Attitude to Death; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008136:Longevity / Q000941:ethics*; D011788:Quality of Life; D026712:Value of Life