It's OK to Want to Live Forever, Says Brilliant* Bioethicist

Ronald Bailey | 4.25.2008 3:39 PM

In his column, "It's not immoral to want to be immortal," brilliant University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Arthur Caplan refutes those who say that we should all just "go gentle into that good night." From his column:

What is particularly interesting is that many of those raising the question of the ethics of immortality do so with an answer already in mind — "No, it's not right!" Both conservative and liberal writers alike are expressing a lot of moral angst in recent books, articles and opinion pieces about the prospect of people hanging around long, long after the last broadcast of "The Price Is Right" has aired, which could be an eternity.

Caplan ably shoots down the usual suite of anti-longevity arguments: (1) more decrepitude, (2) against God and/or nature, and (3) what about the kids? The point of (1) is not to be older longer, but to be younger longer; (2) in the Bible lots of people lived centuries and Mother Nature could care less one way or the other how long you live; and (3) we can take care of the kids.

He correctly concludes:

Despite a lot of hand-wringing and finger-pointing, it is not obvious that wanting to live a lot longer is evil or immoral. The case against trying is not convincing.

*Obviously so because he agrees with me.