The
Rational Argumentator
Issue CLXXXII
December 25, 2008 - January 3, 2009
Eliminating Death -- Part 1 -- Video -- Death as Waste:
G. Stolyarov II
December 25, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov begins his explanation of why death is the greatest enemy of humankind. Death forever robs us of the minds, experiences, and contributions of billions of individuals, who are often not even remembered after they die.
Eliminating Death -- Part 2 -- Video -- Death as Ultimate Harm:
G. Stolyarov II
December 26, 2008
Death is the worst possible outcome for you. Mr. Stolyarov highlights the urgency of defeating this greatest of threats within our lifetime since, once you die, you have suffered the ultimate loss - the destruction of your individuality.
Eliminating Death -- Part 3 -- Video -- The Boredom Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
December 27, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov refutes the argument that living forever will lead humans to become bored. He argues instead that any rational and creative person will never become bored, because the number of available opportunities to pursue increases faster than they can be pursued.
Eliminating Death -- Part 4 -- Video -- The Overpopulation Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
December 28, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov refutes the claim that indefinite longevity for humans will lead to massive overpopulation and increasing scarcity of resources.
Eliminating Death -- Part 5 -- Video -- The "Playing God" Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
December 29, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov refutes the claim that attempting to achieve indefinite longevity for humans is tantamount to "playing God." No matter how much humans accomplish technologically, they will never be able to meet the criteria for God which are held by those advancing the "playing God" argument.
Eliminating Death -- Part 6 -- Video -- On Aging and Diversity of Ideas:
G. Stolyarov II
December 30, 2008
Mr. Stolyarov refutes two arguments against indefinite longevity for humans: 1) that becoming biologically older is a noble and dignified process and 2) that death is necessary for the emergence of new generations with new ways of thinking. None of the good attributes supported by these arguments are lost if humans live forever, and the experience of older people as well as the diversity of ideas will only be magnified by indefinite lifespans.
Eliminating Death -- Part 7 -- Video -- Ayn Rand's "Immortal Robot" Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
December 31, 2008
Many proponents of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism believe that indefinite life would turn human beings into "immortal, indestructible robots" that, according to Ayn Rand, would have no genuine values. Mr. Stolyarov refutes both claims. Eternal life would not turn humans into indestructible robots, nor would an indestructible robot with human abilities have no values and no motivation for doing great things. In Ayn Rand's own words, "Achieving life is not the equivalent of avoiding death."
Eliminating Death -- Part 8 -- Video -- Refuting the Motivation Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
January 1, 2009
Mr. Stolyarov refutes the claim that humans who live forever will have no motivation to actually accomplish anything, as they will think that they have an eternity to do it. Quite the contrary, Mr. Stolyarov argues that eternal life can be an excellent motivator for creative accomplishment.
Eliminating Death -- Part 9 -- Video -- Turning the Motivation Argument Around:
G. Stolyarov II
January 2, 2009
After having refuted the argument that immortal people would have no motivation to act in the immediate present, Mr. Stolyarov turns the entire motivation argument around and explains why there is a greatly diminished motivation to act for human beings who believe their lifespans to have an upper limit and no recourse for lifting that limit. After all, why act if all the fruits of one's labor cannot be enjoyed by one after one is dead? Most people today, in fact, are motivated to act because they consider themselves to have a form of immortality - an afterlife.
Eliminating Death -- Part 10 -- Video -- The Immortal Wealthy Elite Argument:
G. Stolyarov II
January 3, 2009
Mr. Stolyarov refutes the allegation that, if indefinite human life extension ever became available, only the wealthy would have access to it, which would enable them to achieve permanent societal dominance. Mr. Stolyarov explains that all technologies go through a process where, at first, they are extremely unreliable, expensive, and only available to the wealthy few. However, the first stage of a technology's existence is necessary to pave the way for subsequent stages, until the technology becomes ubiquitous, highly reliable, and virtually free.
"I think that given sufficient funding we have a 50-50 chance of completely stopping people from dying of old age within about 25 or 30 years from now."
~ Aubrey de Grey, "Do You Want to Live Forever?"
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