Topic- Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.
7) Life extension – using science to slow or halt human aging so that people live far longer than they do naturally – may one day be possible. Discuss the ethical concerns involved in the issue.(250 words)
Directive word
Discuss- This is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. We also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the ethical issues involved in the issue. We have to identify the main ethical issues here and deliberate upon them. We can be as exhaustive as possible (while keeping the word limit in mind).
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few lines about the man’s pursuit for longevity of life and its present status, future possibilities.
Body– Discuss in points (paragraphs) about the ethical problems involved in the issue.
- Immortality would become intolerably boring if one never changed. If people changed enough to avoid intolerable boredom, they would eventually change so much that they’d be entirely different people.
- Everyone has the right to liberty and decide for themselves. Thus the pursuit of immortality is not bad in itself. However, our liberty right is limited by the “harm principle.” The harm principle says that the right to individual liberty is limited by a duty not to harm others. There are many possible harms: Dictators might live far too long, society might become too conservative and risk-averse and pensions might have to be limited, to name a few.
- Life extension would be available only to the rich and make existing inequalities even worse.Indeed, it is unjust when some people live longer than the poor because they have better healthcare. It would be far more unjust if the rich could live several decades or centuries longer than anyone else and gain more time to consolidate their advantages etc.
Conclusion- Based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
