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Eternal Life - Pros & Cons. If not, why not?

What is eternal life in this context? It's not forever because nothing's forever, is it an extra few years? centuries? millennia? Perhaps it's more sort of spiritual, I like the Hinduism idea, you think you're going to avoid all the shit humanity is storing up by shuffling off the mortal coil when bingo! back you come.
 
Meadow337 said:
Um lol the discussion is 'IF it is possible ...' what do you think.
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Okay... IF we we're in an Eternal unending life infinitely resourced in a universe where entropy is not a physical law, I would have strawberries and ice cream forever for breakfast.
 
Meadow337 said:
On the other hand we might grow, mature, learn, develop. Peace might actually finally be achievable because the world might not be run by people with emotional IQ of a 2 year old where they play stupid tit-for-tat games with people's lives, and we might grow out of thinking that violence is a solution to anything.

Imagine a life where we go on past the point where we just start to learn what is actually important in life.
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Given the history of mankind, it is improbable that we may grow more mature,etc. Incidently, are we anticipating this maturity before attaining immortality? Or, will we first identify the mortals with the emotional IQ of two year olds and let nature take its course with them while the mature, peace loving mankind takes steps to acquire immortality.
Let's leave the modalities. Let's assume that we have found a way of weaning out those who do not deserve immortality. Let's be powerful Gods.
We are immortal, body and soul.How about the rest of life on the planet? Will the animals and plants too be immortal? Will it be a selective process, like weeding out the weeds? Ha,ha, this is getting to be fun!
If yes, that is, if the peace loving, philosophical immortals live in an immortal world, they will run out of topics and thoughts over a finite period of time. Then they (definitely they because I am out of it), will live with immortal ennui.
One more thing. Will the immortals have emotions? Eternal love or hate? What about social structure? Will people marry? What if they are stuck in a bad marriage for ever? If they divorce, what about their choices? Will everyone immortal, their choices will be limited.
The other option. They will be immortal but their pets will not. How will they face it?
Before I stop making sense, I will stop. But why should I? This post is not immortal and neither am I. We are not joined forever.
I am all for mortality. I think it smacks of egoism and conceit to assume that a sustainable few should be immortal, that they are the best creation has to offer. If the generations before Buddha or Jesus or Martin Luther had the means to become immortal and curtail further births, what a great loss that would have been.
Mortality gives the scope of change, of fresh ideas.
I hope we evolve not to become immortal but mankind evolves to become peace loving and tolerant.
 
I think that you are dead as soon as you stop learning new things anyway so for me the thought of living longer or even eternally is not one that is bound to end in ennui but affords the opportunity to learn.

I also think that at the very least living longer is required before humanity will start learning enough life lessons stop thinking violence is the answer to anything and start working on the communication skills necessary to peace.
 
Conscious Bob said:
Okay... IF we we're in an Eternal unending life infinitely resourced in a universe where entropy is not a physical law, I would have strawberries and ice cream forever for breakfast.
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And, unfortunately, get tired of it, and the cycle would start over again with another favourite. Soon you would be like the rich kid who has everything and wants nothing!
Better a short life than live forever and run out of choices. Or worse, live forever and keep creating new choices, not because you need them but to pass infinite time. Yawn!
 
Gita V.Reddy said:
And, unfortunately, get tired of it, and the cycle would start over again with another favourite. Soon you would be like the rich kid who has everything and wants nothing!
Better a short life than live forever and run out of choices. Or worse, live forever and keep creating new choices, not because you need them but to pass infinite time. Yawn!
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Nope, I'll be completely happy forever, if life in this impossible context is infinite then happiness is too.
 
Wait, are we supposing immortal (gods and Abe Vigoda) or eternal (Tolkien elves) or some sort of immortal-eternal hybrid (Highlander)?
 
Highlander can die. So even though you could live forever, take care not to lose your head!

Regardless, I'd hate to live "forever" because there would never be any urgency to do anything. Plus I don't want to work "forever".
 
Where has this thread run off to? Eternal life doesn't necessarily imply eternal youth or health...

(If you ever find a fountain of youth, keep it secret (keep it safe, young Baggins). The bodies rushing over will quickly run it dry (and kill many in the process).)

I'd like to take a more realistic approach and consider an eternal (or vastly extended) life accompanied by all the inconveniences of the aged. Then we will start replacing our failing body parts to the extent that we become cyborgs -- more metal than meat.
 
Dmitri Dmitriev said:
Where has this thread run off to? Eternal life doesn't necessarily imply eternal youth or health...

(If you ever find a fountain of youth, keep it secret (keep it safe, young Baggins). The bodies rushing over will quickly run it dry (and kill many in the process).)

I'd like to take a more realistic approach and consider an eternal (or vastly extended) life accompanied by all the inconveniences of the aged. Then we will start replacing our failing body parts to the extent that we become cyborgs -- more metal than meat.
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You have been reading too much science fiction LOL
 
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