The
Rational Argumentator
Man's Struggle Against Death, Op. 57
Man’s Struggle Against Death, Op. 57: Listen and Download.
Length: 2:18
This composition by Mr. Stolyarov depicts the most important challenge facing humankind during all of its existence – the imperative of freeing individual humans from the ghastly and unconscionable fate of eventually ceasing to exist. Physical immortality in this world is not only possible with sufficient advances in scientific knowledge and medical technology – it is also supremely desirable, and we who are alive now should work to attain it as early as we can.
As Dr. Aubrey de Grey describes in his essay, “The Quest for Indefinite Life II,” there are only seven primary causes of human biological senescence – which leads to death:
1. Cell loss/atrophy
2. Nuclear [epi]mutations
3. Mutant mitochondria
4. Cell senescence
5. Extracellular crosslinks
6. Extracellular junk
7. Intracellular junk
This led Mr. Stolyarov to compose a work where there are seven variations on the same theme – with the theme representing to consistent, unyielding human effort to defeat death and achieve indefinite longevity. Every time that a variation on the theme is played parallels one of the causes of death finally being overcome by human ingenuity. Accordingly, the melody becomes more jubilant and determined as the composition progresses, because there are fewer perils awaiting man and the amount of the task remaining is reduced.
Once the seven variations are complete (which corresponds with the attainment of indefinite life), the coda of the work is meant to evoke the last line of John Donne’s sonnet, “Death, Be Not Proud”: “And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.”
John Donne was not himself a physical immortalist (he was alive too early), but the last line of his poem is an excellent motto for immortalists to adopt as we spread awareness of the need and urgency of defeating this greatest of all perils.
G. Stolyarov II is an actuary, science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer, contributor to Enter Stage Right, Le Quebecois Libre, Rebirth of Reason, and the Ludwig von Mises Institute, Senior Writer for The Liberal Institute, former weekly columnist for GrasstopsUSA.com, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator, a magazine championing the principles of reason, rights, and progress. Mr. Stolyarov also publishes his articles on Helium.com and Associated Content to assist the spread of rational ideas. He holds the highest Clout Level (10) possible on Associated Content and is one of Associated Content's Page View Millionaires. Mr. Stolyarov has also written a science fiction novel, Eden against the Colossus, a non-fiction treatise, A Rational Cosmology, and a play, Implied Consent. You can watch his YouTube Videos. Mr. Stolyarov can be contacted at gennadystolyarovii@yahoo.com.
Click here to return to TRA's Issue CLXXIX Index.
Learn about Mr. Stolyarov's novel, Eden against the Colossus, here.Read Mr. Stolyarov's comprehensive treatise, A Rational Cosmology, explicating such terms as the universe, matter, space, time, sound, light, life, consciousness, and volition, here.