Forever is Always Finite: Reflections on Radical Life Extension. Issue 2 (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Anderson, Herbert
• Is Part Of: Theology and science. Volume 17:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 232
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: Longevity -- immortalist -- aging -- finitude -- paradox -- vulnerability -- denial -- mortality -- illusions -- fragility -- continuity and discontinuity; Religion and science -- Periodicals; Theology -- Periodicals; 261.55
• DOI: 10.1080/14746700.2019.1596297
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1474-6700

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This essay reflects on the Radical Life Extension movement from six critical perspectives: RLE (1) ignores the benefits of finitude; (2) perpetuates the denial of death by seeking to vanquish it; (3) disregards the paradoxical nature of death as problem and mystery; (4) turns death and the Bronze Dream into idols; (5) overlooks a plethora of ethical dilemmas; and (6) fails to ask the central life question: "how well can we live?." RLE is not only problematic: it is redundant. Being kept in the love of God forever is a different kind of 'radical life extension' that includes finitude and death.