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W
e could end it here. The scientific story has been
told, the experts have made their predictions, and the
options have been presented. But the Institutes mission has
always been more encompassing. Many questions have been
brought up: About what it means to be human, about what
it means to be mortal; about the society of the future and the
dreams that shape it today. In this section, we will encounter
those who are enthusiastically supportive and those who are
deeply skeptical of the quest for immortality.
But this section is not just about moral wrongs and (human)
rights. We are also asked to consider deeper philosophical ques-
tions about time, identity, and our outlook on death and life.
We begin with Some Ethical and Theological
Considerations by Brad F. Mellon. The editors must con-
fess that in light of the recent statements made by the US
Presidents Council on Bioethics, we were pleasantly surprised
to encounter such a measured and thoughtful analysis of the
relationship between Christianity and the scientific conquest
of death. In concluding, Mellon leaves us with at least two
questions: Why should we fear death and should we spend
resources more wisely?
The latter question is often paraphrased as a Malthusian
concern about limited resources. Surely there are too many
people already? Yet, immortalist philosopher and founder of