Abstract

Although an age-old problem, the debate over immortality has become reanimated in light of recent advances in life extension technologies, accompanied by an ever-growing body of enthusiasts, both within academic circles as well as the public in general. For these people, death is no longer a natural process, but a disease, and one that might be prevented. It seems that the desire for immortality is a result, in part, of a profound sense of incompleteness and frustration that death will rob us of our future goals and achievements. Consequently, this paper takes as its main focus an individual who affirms life and does not wish it to end, at least prematurely. ‘Prematurely’ is understood as occurring before the individual desires life to end, no matter what age or condition they are in. If premature death is a harm, however, does this imply that ‘more life’ is always better? Ultimately this paper questions whether the desire for immortality would rectify the problems it was originally intended to solve.