Would immortality devalue life?

[bicker]

I'm reading a thought-provoking book, Love & Death, by Forrest Church. It posits that we value life only because we face the inevitable prospect of death. Do you agree?

 

[KramBerries]

I voted "no." Teenagers seem to love life a great deal and most think that they are immortal.

 

[GeorgeG]

Few people think much about death, at least until very close to the last minute. Too many young people don't even appreciate life.

Wide spread immortality could have an impact on our quality of life only because there would be over-population. Death is Nature's way of population control.

 

[clarabelle]

I think about death -I think many people do -they just don't TALK about thinking about death.

I think we would value life less if we were immortal -but it is such a far fetched idea it is hard to really imagine it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Ah, a subject near and dear to my heart. We beat this topic to death here at my house.

Firstly to answer your question that we value life ONLY because of death is nonsense. It is an aspect of the value of life however it is not the sole aspect of it.

To answer your immortality question, it would increase the value of life. Once you are free from the bonds of death you can explore life in a whole new way.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

In a general sort of way, I would say the christian concept of immortality devalues life.

Not going to get into a huge religious discussion, but that is my first thought when reading the intial question.

The same can be said for any religion that holds for the "better life in the after life for all eternity" concept. That can be seen as a potential for devaluing the lives that are lived in the here and now.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Meant to add, if we consider immortality to be knowlegde of one's self through the ages, then living this life, the here and now, in a manner that is noteworthy would be the precursor to a form of immortality.

Alexander the Great, Amergin, and all that jazz.

 

[bicker]

To be clear, the term "immortality" means, in this context, "living on forever" (as you are now) -- in other words, not getting older, not dying, just continuing to live.

 

[GeorgeG]

Is there a "getting younger" option?

 

[Plannin'Shannon]

Ah, a subject near and dear to my heart. We beat this topic to death here at my house.

Firstly to answer your question that we value life ONLY because of death is nonsense. It is an aspect of the value of life however it is not the sole aspect of it.

To answer your immortality question, it would increase the value of life. Once you are free from the bonds of death you can explore life in a whole new way.

Agreed.

 

[Robinrs]

I voted other! Immortality is somewhat idiotic, who wants to live forever? In what condition?? The body breaks down and WOOHOO we're still ALIVE!! ugh...

Give me heaven and my loved ones. This earth is temporary and I'm glad to be done with it when it's my time.

 

[tasha99]

I think immortality would increase the value of life. Dying when you could have lived forever makes that death a bigger deal (I'm assuming you could still be killed by unnatural causes).

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

I think being immortal would cause the birth rate to drop dramatically. Maybe people don't have children until they are well into their hundreds. For this reason life would be more valuable because there might be less humans overall.

my .02¢