If the possibility of eternal life becomes a reality, the value and meaning of life may fade, and advances in science and technology do not necessarily guarantee happiness. Eternal life is more likely to cause social and economic problems, and it is more important to find true happiness in our current finite lives.
Humanity has made remarkable scientific advances throughout history. The use of tools and fire led to civilization, and the development of agriculture led to settled life. The development of agriculture allowed humans to move from a nomadic lifestyle to a settled one, which led to the formation of cities and nations. In the modern era, the invention of electricity and the steam engine led to the Industrial Revolution, which dramatically changed not only the economic structure but also the social structure. The modern era has also seen the birth of scientific and technological conglomerates such as smartphones. Smartphones have become more than just a means of communication, they have become a center of information and have dramatically changed the way we live. The final destination of these sciences and technologies may be the eternal life of mankind.
Eternal life is not a far-fetched idea in the world of biology, where it is actively researched. In fact, biotechnology has made it possible to decode the human genetic map and create artificial organs with ease. Furthermore, advances in stem cell research and regenerative medicine are making it possible to regenerate damaged tissues and organs. Biotechnology may make eternal life possible, but it will not make humanity happier. In light of the views of various philosophers presented in Philosophizing with Kim Kwang-Seok and Sapiens, I am convinced of this idea.
Human happiness begins by giving value to one’s life, by recognizing one’s life, and if we don’t die, it will be harder to give value to life. In Chapter 10 of Philosophizing with Kim Kwang-Seok, it says, “If we forget about death, we forget about the finitude of time, and eventually we forget about the meaning of a properly existing life.” If you are granted eternal life, you may be relieved and happy in the moment, but you may never find happiness for the rest of your life. Consider a simple example: When given a timed assignment, most students will complete it. However, if they had an infinite amount of time to complete the task, they would not feel the need to do it. If you don’t feel a need, you won’t act on it, and you’ll live a meaningless life. The only time we feel rewarded is when we are alive, when we have achieved meaningful results in a finite amount of time. The moment that time becomes infinite, there will be less effort to produce meaningful results and more momentary pleasure rather than true happiness. Of course, those who view eternal life positively might argue that an infinite amount of time would lead to greater fulfillment because we could do whatever we wanted to do. However, the sense of fulfillment would be fleeting, and the constant pressure to start all over again would be too much to ignore.
“According to Buddhism, most people equate happiness with pleasant emotions and suffering with unpleasant emotions” (Sapiens, Chapter 19), and indeed, the Buddha argued that it is through the process of liberation that humans experience true happiness. Rather than dwelling on life, he argued that we reach a new level of happiness when we release all emotions. Even in light of this Buddhist belief, eternal life will never bring happiness to humanity. After all, if we analyze the elusive word “liberation,” it means giving up the pursuit of momentary emotions. However, if eternal life were possible, it would be difficult to achieve joy in the long run because of the helplessness caused by the infinity of time. The emotions of everyday moments would have a greater impact on happiness, which would be nothing more than an act of increasing suffering.
Of course, Buddhism, which is rooted in the ideas of the Buddha, is not always right, so we should also look at eternal life from the perspective of other philosophers. The famous philosopher Epi makes this argument. Humans are happy when they have immobility, an unshakable state of mind. Some people expect that eternal life will make it easier to have this immobility, since the impatience caused by the finite nature of time will disappear. Of course, impatience will disappear in eternal life. However, you will feel more boredom and emptiness in your life, and your desires and attachments for fun or pleasure will increase. In fact, if you think about it, the word “desire” is also a very abstract and vague concept. Lacan’s philosophical interpretation of desire is that it is present in everyone, but in different forms. His idea is that humanity primarily desires the desires of others. In other words, our goals are actually other people’s goals or are heavily influenced by other people. For example, many Korean students dream of getting into a prestigious university or joining a large company. This is because they grew up seeing their parents’ desires when they were children, before they had formed their own values. In other words, the concept of desire will eventually be passed down through generations, and even in the distant future, when eternal life is possible, it will not be much different from the desires that humans pursue in the present. These short-term desires for pleasure are far from immovable, and even from Epi’s perspective, eternal life will not bring happiness to humanity.
Not only the infinity of time, but also the loss of goals to achieve would be a disaster for humanity. As mentioned, the ultimate goal of science and technology is eternal life. This is a very difficult goal to achieve, and it would be very difficult to set new goals after achieving it. In fact, it’s not uncommon for societies to reach their peak and then fall off due to lack of motivation. In fact, many South American soccer players have been known to reach the top of their game and then quickly decline due to lack of motivation, partying, and women. In science, too, momentary panic is inevitable, and human society would stagnate if we didn’t set new goals.
From various philosophical perspectives, eternal life seems to be a technology that is far from the “happiness” that humanity seeks. In reality, environmental issues, population issues, and social conflicts cannot be ignored. As is often the case, science and technology swoop in before societies can reach consensus or devise responses. The development of computer technology has outpaced the development of laws, giving rise to numerous cybercrimes, and the rise of smartphones has led to the creation of many new regulations. If eternal life becomes a scientific possibility, the technology will be known before the necessary social arrangements are in place, and people will want it too.
In addition, the social structure and economic system will undergo major changes. The current economic system is based on the natural cycle of population. If eternal life becomes possible, the population will grow exponentially, which will lead to resource depletion and environmental degradation. In addition, generational conflicts may intensify. New generations will find it difficult to find their place, which will lead to social instability. Politically, we can expect major changes. Our current democratic system relies on elections to change power at regular intervals, but this will need to change if immortality becomes possible. Political problems such as dictatorships could also arise, as the possibility of permanent power rather than succession is raised.
Eternal life would be useless if we don’t truly feel alive. True happiness comes from the joy and reward of accomplishing goals within a finite time frame, and the moments of feeling alive. Science and technology are important tools for advancing humanity, but we need to rethink our goals and direction. Rather than eternal life, we can find true happiness by living our lives to the fullest and doing the best we can within the time we have.
