Popular Arguments For and Against Longevity Securing the Longevity Dividend IEET George Dvorsky

Popular ArgumentsPopular ArgumentsFor and Against For and Against

LongevityLongevity

Securing the Longevity Securing the Longevity DividendDividend

IEETIEET George DvorskyGeorge Dvorsky

Popular Arguments For and Against Popular Arguments For and Against LongevityLongevity



Introduction




Against Longevity: Overview

• Moral & Ethical Arguments• Practical Arguments• Faulty Arguments




Against Longevity: Categories

a) The appeal to nature b) Undesirable psychological consequences c) Undesirable social consequences d) Questionable motivations and skewed

priorities e) Common argumentative fallacies




Against Longevity:The Appeal to Nature

Defending the natural order and the ‘gift’ that is death






• life extension violates nature and upsets the balance






• life extension violates nature and upsets the balance• critics contend that death has value; death…







gives life meaning







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality allows for sacrifice







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality allows for sacrifice prevents us from being overly risk averse







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality allows for sacrifice prevents us from being overly risk averse is what makes beauty exist







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality allows for sacrifice prevents us from being overly risk averse is what makes beauty exist is a vital imperfection







gives life meaning provides us with a need for morality allows for sacrifice prevents us from being overly risk averse is what makes beauty exist is a vital imperfection

• …and what if something exists beyond this life?




Against Longevity:Undesirable Psychological Consequences

The inadequacy of the human psyche to deal with radically extended lives:






• boredom and tedium






• boredom and tedium• ennui






• boredom and tedium• ennui • madness from repetition and predictability






• boredom and tedium• ennui • madness from repetition and predictability• losing a sense of psychological continuity with oneself




Against Longevity:Undesirable Social Consequences





Social and distributive injustices





Social and distributive injustices• cost prohibitive





Social and distributive injustices• cost prohibitive • unequal access





Social and distributive injustices• cost prohibitive • unequal access• unfair distribution






Undesirable demographic skews






Undesirable demographic skews• parallel populations






Undesirable demographic skews• parallel populations• problem of incumbency






Undesirable demographic skews• parallel populations• problem of incumbency• scientific and cultural stagnation







Overpopulation, the environment and Malthusian considerations







Overpopulation, the environment and Malthusian considerations

• an issue of sustainability




Against Longevity:Questionable motivations and skewed priorities

Problematic motivations





Problematic motivations• “…no known social good…”





Problematic motivations• “…no known social good…”• anti-social behavior





Problematic motivations• “…no known social good…”• anti-social behavior• individual actions are against the collective best

interest





Problematic motivations• “…no known social good…”• anti-social behavior• individual actions are against the collective best

interest• more pressing concerns for society to deal with




Against Longevity:Faulty Arguments

Argumentative errors and biases





Argumentative errors and biases• pseudoskepticism





Argumentative errors and biases• pseudoskepticism• ad hominem





Argumentative errors and biases• pseudoskepticism• ad hominem • psychological eccentricity and quirkiness




For Longevity: Overview

• Primacy of moral argumentation• Practical arguments are catching up• On the defensive




For Longevity: Categories

a) The value of life and the undesirability of deathb) The ethical and legal right to life extensionc) Desirable social consequencesd) Managing the inevitable and working towards the

feasible




For Longevity:The value of life and the undesirability of

death

Life is good, death is bad





death

Life is good, death is bad• demonstrating the value of living





death

Life is good, death is bad• demonstrating the value of living• ongoing personhood and the questionable de-

valuation of life





death


valuation of life• maximum lifespan?





death


valuation of life• maximum lifespan?• death as existential violation





death


valuation of life• maximum lifespan?• death as existential violation• stopping the global death counter




For Longevity:The ethical and legal right to life extension

Ethical and legal issues





Ethical and legal issues• pro-life ethics is sound





Ethical and legal issues• pro-life ethics is sound• a civil rights issue





Ethical and legal issues• pro-life ethics is sound• a civil rights issue• respecting civil liberties





Ethical and legal issues• pro-life ethics is sound• a civil rights issue• respecting civil liberties





Ethical and legal issues• pro-life ethics is sound• a civil rights issue• respecting civil liberties• improving access




For Longevity:Desirable social consequences

Aside from eliminating the catastrophe that is death…






• better personal accountability






• better personal accountability• stake in the future






• better personal accountability• stake in the future• makes utilitarians happy






• better personal accountability• stake in the future• makes utilitarians happy• the Longevity Dividend




For Longevity:Managing the inevitable and working

towards the feasible

There’s no point in arguing….






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect• the continuation of medical sciences






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect• the continuation of medical sciences• the continuation of the human mission






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect• the continuation of medical sciences• the continuation of the human mission• the importance of accountability






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect• the continuation of medical sciences• the continuation of the human mission• the importance of accountability • the problem of prohibition






There’s no point in arguing…. • life extension is in effect• the continuation of medical sciences• the continuation of the human mission• the importance of accountability • the problem of prohibition• of feasibility and obligations




Conclusion




Conclusion

• a complex and difficult topic




Conclusion

• a complex and difficult topic• heading into uncharted waters




Conclusion

• a complex and difficult topic• heading into uncharted waters• projecting fears and hopes




Conclusion

• a complex and difficult topic• heading into uncharted waters• projecting fears and hopes• trusting ourselves and our institutions

Documents

Popular Arguments For and Against Longevity Securing the Longevity Dividend IEET George Dvorsky