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The ethics of technological immortality

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Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

The ethics of technological immortality

#1 Post by Compassionist » March 17th, 2019, 10:04 pm

Please see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KscnT6FxMIQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01hbkh4hXEk

What is your view of transhumanism and the ethics of attaining technological immortality? Should we become immortal? Is this going to be available to everyone or just the hyper rich? What is the ethics of technological immortality? If it were up to me, everyone would always be omnibenevolent, omniscient and omnipotent but it is not up to me.

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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The ethics of technological immortality

#2 Post by Alan H » March 17th, 2019, 11:15 pm

I'm not sure it's something I'd want for myself. Is it ethical? Who knows, but I'm not sure why it'd be unethical per se. There are already many things that are unethical where money is concerned: people buying multi-million £ yachts while people elsewhere starve but that's not going to change any time soon. Buying immortality is, I think, simply on that same scale of immorality.

But like many things, technology does become cheaper and more affordable to others further down the food chain.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

Re: The ethics of technological immortality

#3 Post by Compassionist » March 18th, 2019, 12:03 am

Alan H wrote:I'm not sure it's something I'd want for myself. Is it ethical? Who knows, but I'm not sure why it'd be unethical per se. There are already many things that are unethical where money is concerned: people buying multi-million £ yachts while people elsewhere starve but that's not going to change any time soon. Buying immortality is, I think, simply on that same scale of immorality.

But like many things, technology does become cheaper and more affordable to others further down the food chain.
Yes, you are right, some billionaires and millionaires do spend lots on luxuries. One could argue that is unethical. Reality doesn't care about ethics. In reality, might is right - adapt or die. Reality is not sentient so it makes sense that reality doesn't care about ethics. We are sentient so we care about ethics. Are we going to create a better, fairer and kinder world or not?

Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

Re: The ethics of technological immortality

#4 Post by Compassionist » March 18th, 2019, 11:59 am


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Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: The ethics of technological immortality

#5 Post by Alan H » March 18th, 2019, 12:42 pm

Compassionist wrote:Please see http://www.immortal.me and http://2045.com
Not even vaguely realistic, I'd say. All sci-fi.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

Compassionist
Posts: 3590
Joined: July 14th, 2007, 8:38 am

Re: The ethics of technological immortality

#6 Post by Compassionist » March 18th, 2019, 6:50 pm

Alan H wrote:
Compassionist wrote:Please see http://www.immortal.me and http://2045.com
Not even vaguely realistic, I'd say. All sci-fi.
Yup. :hilarity:

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