Life extension drugs and the ethical question of availability

[IWantGod]

Scientists are working on the possibility of life extension. If they succeeded this would mean the availability of some kind of drug or genetic enhancing technology.

However, like everything else in life this would come with a price tag.

Because the catholic faith is concerned for the sanctity of life, would the church consider it immoral not to make this drug or technology available or affordable for the poor?

A new breakthrough like this has the potential to create a new class of people which would be defined by the “haves and have-nots” the poor and the rich. The long-lifers and the short-lifers.

I have a feeling that the church would be concerned about this including myself. The reason i think so is because i believe the sanctity of life and the underlying principle that drives the concept ought to include any advancement that extends it.

What do you think?

 

[Le_Crouton]

Upholding the sanctity of life doesn’t mean living as long as we want via drugs

 

[TK421]

Upholding the sanctity of life doesn’t mean living as long as we want via drugs

We already do it.

 

[poche]

If you find this life extension drug could you let me know about it so that I can have some?

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Haven’t you ever read the old folk-tales about persons being granted immortality only to wind up ancient and decrepit and unable to die for century upon century?

No thanks. Someday I want to slip away from all this to meet Jesus.

 

[Cruciferi]

Life extension - Wikipedia

 

[IWantGod]

Haven’t you ever read the old folk-tales about persons being granted immortality only to wind up ancient and decrepit and unable to die for century upon century?

True. But i would not be aiming for immortality, because i want eternity with God. I’m thinking more along the lines of 200 years. Just a longer life than the current 70 or 80 years. Of course, i would not want to be old and decrepit for 200 years. I would want old age near the end of the life cycle. And i would want to be healthy in mind and body until then.

I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

But then again a shorter life might be a blessing in disguise.

 

[IWantGod]

en.m.wikipedia.org

Life extension​

Life extension is the idea of extending the human lifespan, either modestly – through improvements in medicine – or dramatically by increasing the maximum lifespan beyond its generally settled limit of 125 years. The ability to achieve such dramatic changes, however, does not currently exist. Some researchers in this area, and “life extensionists”, “immortalists” or “longevists” (those who wish to achieve longer lives themselves), believe that future breakthroughs in tissue rejuvenation, stem ce…

I think life extension technology is inevitable.

 

[Aquinas11]

But i would not be aiming for immortality, because i want eternity with God. I’m thinking more along the lines of 200 years

Even the fact that we’re choosing our life span as casually as choosing condiments for a sandwich should give us pause - 1st commandment is worshiping God not worshipping myself to play God. Either I’m worshipping God or I Am God. How can I worship God & play God? Cannot serve two masters.

 

[IWantGod]

Even the fact that we’re choosing our life span as casually as choosing condiments for a sandwich should give us pause - 1st commandment is worshiping God not worshipping myself to play God. Either I’m worshipping God or I Am God. How can I worship God & play God? Cannot serve two masters.

Then lets get rid of medicine altogether; why play God.

There is nothing intrinsically evil in living a longer life.

 

[Aquinas11]

Then lets get rid of medicine altogether

Big difference between seeing a doctor when you’re sick and choosing a “life span”. The former is still surrendering to God when you’ll die. The latter is dictating to God when you’ll die thus becoming God

 

[IWantGod]

The former is still surrendering to God when you’ll die.

You are surrendering to death either way. The idea that one is doing evil by taking a medicine that will improve ones chances of living longer is an unfounded opinion. Did God tell you it’s wrong to live longer through medical intervention? I don’t think so.

Playing God is to act against God’s will.

 

[Aquinas11]

The idea that one is doing evil by taking a medicine that will improve ones chances of living longer is an unfounded opinion.

It’s also a straw man since I never said that but quote me if you think I did

You specifically argued you want 200 years life span, since 70-80 is insufficient for you and you also said you don’t want to be old for most of the 200. It is this dictation of specific spans and health within the span I’m referring to that amounts to playing God, not merely receiving medicine. If 200 ok, why not 500? Why not 1000? You’ve entered an arena that can’t be contained. Like a drug addiction, saying “I only want 200 years!” is futile and everyone knows it

 

[IWantGod]

since 70-80 is insufficient for you

It’s not about insufficient or being ungrateful, it’s simply a question of wanting to live longer and there is nothing intrinsically evil with that. If i could achieve 200 years that’s great.

You have provided me nothing but your unfounded opinion.

 

[IWantGod]

dictation of specific spans

Nobody is dictating anything and neither is God. Neither God or his church has said that it is wrong to extend your life through medical intervention. Our life spans are due to natural processes not a commandment from God saying we are not aloud to live longer than 80 years.

You are making a straw-man of playing God.

 

[Zach]

Whatever is possible by the laws of nature will inevitably be achieved. As long as we don’t blow up the world humans will eventually be immortal. Drugs, transplants, genetic manipulation. What about a terrible accident that destroys the body? No worries. At the end of each day the contents of mind and memory are uploaded to a computer to be transferred to a new body if needed. Don’t fret over only the rich being able to take advantage. Like all technology at first it will be only for the rich but eventually it will be affordable to everyone.

 

[Wesrock]

I’m actually not sure how the Church should respond other than advocating caution. I don’t think Aquinas is the be-all end-all, and even moreso in this area, maybe, but he held that human natures tended towards reaching their most perfect physical instantiation in the age of 30ish, and physical aging was moreso a disordered consequence, a disease, almost. I could almost see how such medical treatment so as to keep a person physically young being morally licit.

I’d like to contrast life extension medical treatment with the transhumanism movement. The latter is not something I personally think should be pursued.

 

[IWantGod]

transhumanism movement.

I not sure i agree with the idea of warping our genetically informed structures to create new forms like having webbed feet for scuba diving. I think that’s dangerous and probably has moral implications in the negative and is along the same lines as cloning.

But improving the brains ability to process information, assuming that it can be achieved without destroying somebodies cognitive functions (which is a possibility), i would be for that. We know that there is to a degree a link between intelligence and genetics.

 

[chessnerd321]

I’m not sure the church would allow us to take such medicine. It seems very much like a tower of Babel moment.

Rather than submitting to Christ and begging for forgiveness for our sinful natures, we find a way to circumvent the system. Becoming like God, without God. That can’t be good.

 

[IWantGod]

Becoming like God, without God. That can’t be good.

But that’s the key point to any moral situation. I don’t think the mere extending of ones life is the problem; it’s the intention of the heart. I admit there is a possibility of making a false idol out of the life that God has given.