Transvision
2003 Panel
Sunday June 29, 2003
10:45-12:15pm
Linsly-Chittenden Hall, 62
High St., New Haven CT
The Ethics
of Life Extension
Moderator: Greg Pence Ph.D.
Kenneth Sills
Immortality Institute
"Why
Immortality?"
With
average human lifespans nearly doubling in the past century, one might
think the question of immortality had been answered by now. Yet, we're
still grappling with this seemingly simple, exceedingly thorny issue.
Scientist fear to tread near the topic for fear of cook labels and
religious retribution. Irregardless, a small group of visionaries have
willingly placed their credentials on the line. This paper will attempt
to help these scientist and leaders by providing some answers to the
question - why immortality?
Sills,
also known as Lazarus Long on the ImmInst forums, is a long time
advocate for the possibility of physical immortality. A designer and
researcher, he is a bi-lingual, multi-cultural expert educator. with
special insight when it comes to physical immortality related issues.
Sills is interested in participating in scientific and philosophical
discussions in all the areas between anatomy and zoology including
immortality. Look for his crafty wit and insightful posting on the
forums as he'll be happy to answer questions.
Evelyne
Shuster Ph.D.
Philosophy in Psychiatry,
University of Pennsylvania
"To Live Forever:
A Blessing or a Curse?"
The religious cult, the Raelians, has pledged to
achieve eternal life on earth using cloning techniques. To live forever
is a philosophical theme more real today than it was 450 years ago when
Descartes made it famous. Is living forever likely to be a blessing or a
curse for posthumans?
Evelyne Shuster is a medical ethicist, founder (and
first chair) of the Ethics Committee at the Philadelphia Veterans
Affairs Medical Center. She also holds a faculty position as adjunct
associate professor of philosophy in psychiatry at the University of
Pennsylvania.
John Davis J.D.,
Ph.D.
Medical Humanities,
Brody School of Medicine
"Methuselah's Children: Life-Extension and Fears of
Collective Harm"
Restricting
life-extension to avoid a Malthusian crisis is unjustified, for denying
the cure to those who want it may deny them centuries of life, while
allowing it requires those who do not want it to endure merely a
few decades of crowding and a less livable environment.
John K. Davis is assistant professor of medical
humanities at the Brody School of Medicine. He earned his Ph.D. in
philosophy at the University of Washington, and his J.D. at the New York
University School of Law. Besides life extension ethics, his research
interests include the right to control one's future self in medical and
other contexts, reproductive technology and theory of beneficence, and
moral reasoning.
